Winston-Salem City Council

The Power Of The People Was On Display At The August 20 Meeting Of The W-S City Council

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The August 20th Winston-Salem City Council meeting was one to remember. It was the most democratic city council meeting that I have ever witnessed. It was a rare example of people in the council chamber pushing back against the mayor and city council.

Typically the Winston-Salem City Council doesn’t give much time for citizens to voice their concerns. Public comments are given at the end of council meetings, just before adjournment. They are little more than an afterthought.

But, because … Read the rest

Downtown Developments

Unpopular Opinion: Summer On Liberty Sucks

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Summer on Trade has been on Liberty Street since 2016. It’s time to admit that Summer on Liberty isn’t working. The concert series has been a shot in the arm to Liberty Street. Liberty Street is on its way to developing into Trade Street 2.0 minus the art galleries.

But some changes need to be made to the city’s premier summer concert series; its lost much of the energy that it used to have.

I miss the intimate feeling that … Read the rest

Winston-Salem City Council

Southeast Gateway Development Moves Forward Long After Happy Hill Was Gentrified

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Monday night’s city council meeting was the first meeting of our city’s elected body in over a month. At Monday’s meeting, a bakery/wine shop on Reynolda Road was approved, a property on Northwest Boulevard was rezoned, as were two churches.

The rezoning of the Burger King on MLK Drive was postponed yet again. The BK on MLK will likely stay closed until BK lets the City have it their way.

Speaking of the City of Winston-Salem having it its way, … Read the rest

Winston-Salem City Council

The Winston-Salem City Council Merry-Go-Round: June 4, 2018

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Monday’s city council meeting was brief. In just over an hour the Winston-Salem City Council meeting ended. That’s the Allen Joines’ machine at work. Little debate, no contentious arguments, and no public comment-except where prescribed by law! That’s what rule by the rich looks like in Winston!

The principal topic before the council Monday was a zoning petition in Ardmore. A developer wanted to convert a former goat farm on the corner of Ebert and Silas Creek into a townhome/office … Read the rest

WS Police

Edward McCrae’s Death Overshadows Winston-Salem’s City Council Meeting

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Monday was Councilmember D.D. Adams birthday. But it wasn’t a day for celebrations. After quickly wishing Adams a happy birthday Winston-Salem Alliance president and Winston-Salem mayor, Allen  Joines took a more somber tone as he addressed the shooting of Edward Van McCrae by a Winston-Salem Police Department officer.

Mayor Joines essentially repeated what he and Councilmember James Taylor said at a press conference earlier in the day:

“We will, as a city be diligent in releasing the all information possible,

… Read the rest
Winston-Salem City Council

The W-S City Council Flip-Flops, Awards Marketing Contract To Wildfire

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Monday night’s city council meeting witnessed a flip-flop that won’t soon be forgotten. Over the last few months, the Winston-Salem City Council has turned the relatively routine matter of partnering with a local ad agency to market the Dixie Classic Fair into a soap opera.

To be fair Wildfire deserves its share of the credit for the controversy. Wildfire is a local ad agency on Liberty Street that has worked with some big corporate/non-profit clients. None of Wildfire’s 32 current … Read the rest

W-S Business

Subsidies Go From Main Street Winston-Salem To Wall Street

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Monday night the city council was happy to approve $147,834 in subsidies to The Clearing House over 5 years. Earlier in the month, the Forsyth County Commissioners approved  $179,038 in subsidies to TCH. State subsidies are yet to be determined. But if The Clearing House expands in Winston it will clear a sizable check from local taxpayers.

Monday’s Winston-Salem City Council meeting was more of a sprint than a marathon. The council’s agenda was short and the city council members … Read the rest

Winston-Salem City Council

Winston-Salem City Council Notes: The C-SPAN Edition

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Not a lot transpired at Monday’s Winston-Salem City Council meeting. While not much news was made at the city council meeting, there was an announcement from a representative of the C-SPAN Cities Tour that Winston will be the subject of several features that will air March 17-18 on C-SPAN2 and C-SPAN3. While Winston might not always have a lot of newsworthy events going on, it will always have a lot of history.

I have serious doubts that C-SPAN will examine … Read the rest

Downtown Developments

Winston’s Twin Arches Viewed From Happy Hill

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Earlier this week, Mayor and Winston-Salem Alliance president Allen Joines oversaw the official powering-up of the LED lights on the Twin Arches over Highway 52.

The public art initiative is a public/private partnership spearheaded by the Creative Corridors Coalition. It’s the first of several projects that Creative Corridors are working on in conjunction with the ongoing road-work along Highway 52 and Business 40.

The Winston-Salem Journal is reporting that opinions on the Twin Arches are mixed. I personally find … Read the rest

East Winston

Lake Park Is Part Of An Ocean Of Failed Projects In East Winston

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Last week the Winston-Salem City Council forgave a $167,500 loan to Lake Park Develpment, Inc. Lake Park Development, Inc. is owned by media/real estate mogul, Jose Isasi. Mr. Isasi’s has been the recipient of generous city subsidies in the past. But for now, let’s focus on Lake Park.

Lake Park is a nice subdivision, that was built in the 1990s onto an existing neighborhood off of Waterworks Road. It’s an upper-middle-class subdivision that would not be out-of-place in Clemmons … Read the rest