So this might not be our last blast of cold weather. And this still might not be the worst winter ever. Oh well, just like the Wizard of Oz, we really can’t trust the weathervane behind the curtain. Ok, bad analogy, but still, our weather has no rhyme or reason. And that’s all I have to say about that. Daily news, right here, right now:
A lot of this money is foreign. Is money period foreign to North Carolinians? Photo by Flickr user Ep5os De
I ask today’s question about this New York Times article. As usual with Times articles, they take a major national issue, in this case poverty and use one place to illustrate it, this time, Chattanooga, TN. It’s a place that’s on the urbanist radar too, as this year’s class of Next City Vanguards will be gathering there, and it’s the first Vanguard in the South. According to the Census 23% of its 171,279 residents are impoverished. What really stuck with me, was this quote from Chattanooga’s mayor Andy Berke:
“We don’t want the South to be a place where businesses go to find low-wage, low-education jobs. That’s a long-term problem that midsized cities in the South face.”
How does North Carolina fit into this? As a whole, the state has 1,6377,250 of its 9,748,364 people under the federal poverty line and the median household income is $46,000. Our unemployment rate has dropped to 6.7% and that is inclusive of people who are still looking for work and haven’t quit. When you pull the numbers for several major North Carolina cities from the Census, none of them have per capita incomes at the poverty rate and half the households are making more than $30,000 per year. Of course this assumes that households have no more than 3 people in them. Even with the traditional four-person family, only three cities, Jacksonville, Rocky Mount and Wilson have a per capita income that meets the poverty threshold. The more people you add, plus expenses that aren’t adjusted for inflation, emergency situations such as a period of unemployment, an underwater mortgage or some other tragic or financially trying situation can create poverty-like situations. However, on paper, based on the this assessment of the 2 million people in these major cities North Carolina looks middle class, taking into account our lower cost of living, cost of living being things like the basic costs of food and housing, along with taxes and utility bills. Yet, what about the other 7 million people? Our cities may not be poor, but what about everywhere else? For more analysis head here, where you can see charts and where you can track updates to this information.
In addition, the above quote could be said about my hometown and current city Greensboro. We’ve lost a number of manufacturing jobs. Yet, we have also managed to create jobs. The key is to get people above the poverty threshold and provide the stability for them to stay there. It’s also key that we provide jobs at living wages. It appears some cities are doing more than others if you go by the numbers. However, numbers, nor metaphors and proverbs can begin to tell this whole story.
Several local leaders, as well as representatives from Amtrak, Norfolk Southern and the North Carolina Railroad Company met in Greensboro yesterday to discuss how to keep people off railroad tracks.
Watching my NC State Wolfpack at a mid-day Quarterfinal Game in 2013. Sometimes, this is a workday.
There’s this thing that grips Greensboro every March and it’s called Tournament Town. Banners are posted along light posts downtown and down the side of the coliseum, whether we are actually hosting an ACC Tournament. In recent years, we’ve also had NCAA first and second round games and of course the ACC lore speaks of men’s tournaments turned epic and national champions rendered speechless in defeat. Oh and depending on the weather and the games, an actual town of sorts sprouts in the parking lot of the Coliseum. Oh and just like the poster above, we’ve modified it for other sports, but it really rings true for basketball.
However, the first whispers that happened when the ACC began to expand was that we would no longer be prime real estate for the men’s tournament. Women’s yes, but sadly women’s basketball is just recognizing its potential, at least among the media hype set. Those of us who go to games enjoy them and know their intensity, but the world doesn’t look our way in the same way they do when the men’s tournament is in town. (Also, you can get food in a decent amount of time at Stameys, just sayin’).
Our fears were confined once again when news broke of a Barclays Center tournament in 2017 and a Verizon Center one in 2016, both of course very neutral, but also in the two major East Coast metropolitan areas. For a small city that is very concerned with our reputation and our economic recovery and status, this could mean doom. Also the conference is headquartered in Greensboro and began at the Sedgefield Country Club, just outside the city.We also spent money to put an ACC museum in at the coliseum. Or, it could just mean that for a couple of years, the women get a chance to shine on their own and show us just as much good basketball. (And for those of you looking for dunks, I saw very few this year in the men’s tournament, you aren’t missing much).
So as we fill our brackets this year and hope our Cinderellas and Diaper Dandies and favorite mascots make things happen, we will continue and hope that we can at least have basketball stay ours one more year. And with that, your daily news roundup:
ICYMI: My thoughts on where Trader Joe’s, if they consider Greensboro again, could go. Also, the Hobbs-Friendly property rezoning request has been withdrawn.
Malls are dying. Yes, there are stores that drive traffic, but I can’t tell anyone the last time I’ve been to an enclosed mall or even to mall stores at an open-air center. Well, I lie, I went to Barnes and Noble the other week. I have a gift card to spend there, but I was more interested in absorbing the atmosphere than purchasing anything particular that day. I’ve definitely not eaten at a food court in years, so the bankruptcy of Sbarro was not a shocker to me. And yes, I’m in the 18-34 demographic that has a little extra money to spend.
Much is said about demographics of shoppers by chain owners and other shoppers who don’t like a particular demographic that happens to be taking in the atmosphere versus buying things. Or so they think. Anecdotally, I’ve found that poorer people, women and teens, especially of color, are more likely to buy mall things, even at the upscale places. Most of the people I know with extra income have stuff shipped to them online, call the grocery and have them shop for them (or shop in person with a tight list), or spend money on experiences over things.
Therefore, malls of any type (including the lifestyle center reboot), should continue to tout the experience. I’m kinda disappointed that JC Penney never finished the reboot described here, where they wanted to mimic a main street in their store and have events that didn’t require you to shop. They would still make money, because they would still be a showcase and occasionally there are still things to buy. I would go to the mall more often if it was an oversized showroom, with kiosks for shipping directly to my home and opportunities to do things versus buy things. And we’ve done this showroom/catalog thing before. Hello Sears Wish Book. Anyway, your weekend may include mall shopping. Mine will include the news below:
Good billboard with a good message. Photo by Flickr user Steve Rhodes
One of the things those who rail against the enroachment of consumerism in our daily lives especially hate are billboards. I’ll admit, there’s something charming about seeing a barn sign, an old-school painted Coca-Cola sign or those hand-painted peach signs on the way to Myrtle Beach. Yet, when it comes to regular old billboards that dot the interstates and the suburban stroads of life, I could do without them. Especially the ones that flash. I also think, as a marketing and media maven, that I’m immune to advertising.
But then I got sick with a nasty sinus infection and cold. I was trying to go to my regular primary-care after hours clinic, but thanks to a thunderstorm, they’d been knocked right back out of power. I then went to the nearest CVS minute clinic. Not enough time or people to see me. So I put my tail between my legs and planned on what home remedy might work next. As I was making the drive home, I happened to look up and see a massive billboard for another urgent care clinic. I’d seen it time and time again, enough to ignore it. But there it was, providing me information about a service I might need, when advertising actually performs a public service. I was on the wrong side of the road, but I pulled over and turned down the street it was on.
Two hours and two nice PA’s (and only $60 out of pocket) later, I now have all that I need to finally shake this sickness and get back to all of the things I love and a few new ones I hope to add.
I say all this to say, even the ugliest parts of our built environment have a purpose sometimes. Of course, I’d loved it better if that massive billboard had been a hand-painted red cross sign, but then would I have seen it in the oversizedness of everything else in that warehouse district. Probably not. And with that, your daily news:
Mixed-use development planned in Pender County near US 17.
Greensboro has about a middle-of-the-road amount of douchebags and Durham has one of the lowest numbers of the top 100 cities of the countryaccording to this study.
Alachua Beauty Salon by Flickr user alternatePhotography
Last night I participated in my bi-weekly ritual of getting my hair done. Being in that space, which is colored in jewel tones and punctuated by a stylist that’s also a friend makes the space even better. Much has been said about the role of the black beauty and barbershop, and I can second much of the community-building that happens. Not to be left out, many other salons, barber shops and places to get pampered become places where we go to not only get spiffy, but to find out what’s going on, to let off some steam and even make lifelong connections. Although the beauty salon or the barber shop may not always be an anchor of a physical community like in Mayberry, just like in pretty much every other movie about a salon, it creates a spiritual and communal place, that launches out into the physical. And with that, today’s daily news:
Bucket-truck Image by Flickr user Aaron Bonnell-Kangas
I think my dad would have been tickled to know that his birthday weekend this year had one of the largest ice storms we’ve had in years. As a licensed electrician for the Guilford County Schools and for lots of other regular folks on the weekends, He greatly admired the work of the electricians of Duke Energy and others did on the major above ground and underground lines. Yet, he didn’t just sit on the sidelines when power was out, he was always on duty, supervising and sometimes re-wiring the school buildings on the spot. Some of those regular people who had trees on lines and boxes fall off would also call him, allowing him to go fix a few extra electrical issues once the big stuff had been cleaned up. One of his late in life dreams was to purchase a bucket truck just like the one above and go work on “high voltage.” Of course, he’s at a far higher voltage than many of us now. And with that, here’s your daily news:
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.
The Black Urbanist and Placebook are powered by Bluehost. Learn more about Bluehost and how they can make your website dreams come true here. (Clicking that link and signing up for Bluehost sends some of the proceeds back to me. This is a way to help us keep the lights on and keep the news coming to you every weekday).
When it’s time to pack up your things and move from one place to another, how do you do it? Do you just throw your things in random boxes and bins? Do you take the time to get decent boxes and bins and label them. Do you do like I’ve traditionally done and get a moving truck and a few able-bodied family members and friends? Do you pile everything on pickup trucks and the back of slightly too tiny cars? Do you even move your stuff at all? The dumpster and the local thrift shop are your friend, as everything gets dumped to them.
Well, this isn’t a physical move per se, but as I announced yesterday, we are getting a bigger house here at The Black Urbanist and Placebook. North Carolina Placebook will allow me to add coverage of placemaking issues statewide, and make this space here my own special office and playroom where I discuss issues of personal significance and the kind of news that doesn’t necessarily make you shell out subscription fees. Plus with more room comes more opportunities for parties, for party guests and of course rooms dedicated to issues you and I both hold dear. This move isn’t easy, but so far, it’s going pretty smoothly. In fact, why don’t you head over there now and check out today’s news, in its new format. (And if you can’t change websites just yet, news is right here too, after a word from our sponsors)
The Black Urbanist and Placebook are powered by Bluehost. Learn more about Bluehost and how they can make your website dreams come true here. (Clicking that link and signing up for Bluehost sends some of the proceeds back to me. This is a way to help us keep the lights on and keep the news coming to you every weekday).
So I’ve decided to let the cat out of the bag. First and foremost, meet:
For now, the site will just be this daily email/news roundup (which will be renamed Daily News). In addition, I hope to add original coverage and opinions around state and local government, transportation (all modes), buildings and architecture, and education. Go ahead and bookmark www.ncplacebook.info.
So what will happen to The Black Urbanist? The Black Urbanist will become my editorial blog, allowing me to still have a voice on issues affecting placemaking and communities of color. However, with this change I can address the need to have a more comprehensive coverage of placemaking issues throughout the state of North Carolina.
Also, for the next few weeks, I’ll still be posting Placebook here, so everyone can get used to going to our new home and I can get a few bugs worked out. If you are reading in email, you will still get Placebook, but there will soon be options to subscribe to just the Daily News, to our articles and blogs feed and to a few other things we hope to pilot with over the next few months.
I want to thank everyone who continues to read, share, suggest, proofread and like this work on the social networks. Everything I promised on Monday content wise will happen and you will see not only me, but a few others create something that makes the case for a better North Carolina and presents us with a better image to the world. I’ll also be reaching out to a few of you about special opportunities to work with and share content with North Carolina Placebook.
