When Fisher Park and Westerwood residents asked the City Council to assure them that noise emanating from the proposed new baseball stadium was going to be mitigated, the residents were told not to worry - that they would take care of it.  The Council made good on their word.

An email from Ann of Fisher Park:

"On May 18th, our City Council voted to amend Ordinance Chapter 30 Section 30-3-3.5 (PDF file, see p13) to extend the time celebrations and events cease in our "Downtown Business District" to 1:00 a.m. (formerly 11:00 p.m.) on the eve of national holidays, and Friday and Saturday nights, until 1:00 a.m. Sunday mornings.  The amendment was brought to City Council and supported by Action Greensboro, Downtown Greensboro Inc., and Grassroots Productions Inc. LTD...."

Dealing with events extending to 1:00 am on any national holiday eve, and any Friday and Saturday nights until 1:00 a.m. any Sunday morning, asks a great deal of the very residents who've done more than anyone to stabilize, and make desirable, the core urban neighborhoods adjacent to downtown...."

In other words, fireworks will now be allowed after baseball games in the new stadium.

This ordinance was adopted very quietly with only Councilwoman Sandy Carmany dissenting.  I am sure she voted that way in response to all of the time she spends dealing with noise problems on behalf of her constituants near the Greensboro Coliseum, which is in her district.  Sandy has lived it - others on Council obviously have not.

The Council has 30 days to amend or repeal this change so it will be brought up at the next Council meeting.  I hear that a noise ordinance might be required for that meeting to quell the now-alerted dissenting voices.  They will be looking for a compromise:

"... City ordinances that involve events (and accompanying noise) should either be extended equally throughout the city, so City Council and all event proponents may enjoy equal noise opportunities until 1:00 a.m. in their own neighborhoods, OR the Ordinance Amendment should have some limits."

5:41:16 PM     comments to the above post so far, join in.   Trackbacks

I was recently honored by The Music Academy of North Carolina through an appointment to serve on their Board of Directors. Today I will attend an orientation and my first meeting during the middle of the work day.  I'm hoping they want me for my mind and not my attire because those of us who work on old houses for a living tend to present ourselves as a little shop-worn by lunch time.  I'm packing deoderant so as not to be too offensive.

Formerly the Greensboro Music Academy, the non-profit organization has grown into one of North Carolina's premier music education institutes with over 45 instructors and nearly 900 students of all ages and walks of life.

Hailing from a family headed by a music educator (Dad's a retired  band director) I jumped at the chance to do my part to help get more folks involved with making music.

8:17:13 AM     comments to the above post so far, join in.   Trackbacks

My family spends an inordinant amount of time on and around the roller hockey rinks at the Greensboro Sportsplex because all three of my kids have been in the league for many years.  The hockey program at the facility, under the excellent leadership of Ed Hathaway, is as much fun for the parents as it is for the players.  This is playoff week, and a couple of Hoggards helped "bring home the gold" for the 14U Flyers.  Jesse's 10U team lost in a first round OT thriller.

Goalie extrordinaire Jackson on the left - Defensewoman without equal Josie on the right.

6:54:31 AM     comments to the above post so far, join in.   Trackbacks

Lampoons are usually lost on me - I'm just a literal sort of guy, I suppose.  But I stayed right with N&R Columnist Lorraine Ahearn last Friday:

Her message to Greensboro citizens regarding the City Council's possible culpability in the Project Homestead affair:  Where there is smoke, there is probably fire - especially if the smoke alarms and sprinkler systems are doing their thing.

Her message to City Council:  It is best to acknowledge the fire and do one of two things - work to put it out... or... get the hell out of the building.

*******************

On Sunday, Ahearn related a story about a 21-year veteran Dudley High School teacher who was assaulted by a student in the classroom.  The school system's response: It's her word against the students' and we believe the students... she resigned.

My instructions to my children regarding how they relate to their teachers in all matters except content of instruction: 1) the teacher is always right, 2) if the teacher is ever wrong - see number 1.

If the school system refuses to back the classroom teacher in such a case, is it any wonder that we have the discipline problems that we have been discussing, not to mention the high rate of teacher turn-over? 

My suggestion: dress all Dudley students in uniform - that'll fix it.

6:21:33 AM     comments to the above post so far, join in.   Trackbacks