During tonight's City Council meeting, Council member Tom Phillips was apparently poised to raise unmitigated hell about Guilford County Commissioner Skip Alston's recent public assertion as to how Greensboro's, "...City staff is racist."

Phillips was a joy to watch as he deftly girded his loins... and.... punted.

During the last part of the meeting, Tom stated he had a "long conversation with Mr. Alston" earlier today and that Alston apparently convinced him to hold his ire because "there were a lot of issues that were misrepresented by the newspaper."  When it was all said and done, the best Phillips could muster was to bring us Commissioner Alston's regrets as to why he couldn't explain himself in person tonight, even though this was pretty important stuff to explain.  

Strange that Phillips would act as Alston's second on this matter, especially after his recent comments when he called on Alston to, "provide evidence of racism or publish an apology".  But then again, Phillips has made it clear he is no fan of some N&R reporters. It may be that Commissioner Alston found Phillips' ear to be quite sympathetic to his published gaffe.

I seriously doubt that N&R reporter Margaret Banks "misrepresented" anything. 

Editing note:  I edited this post after releasing it last night.  The initial title was: 'The N&R is a dirty rotten liar', which was meant to be 'tongue in cheek' commentary about what I heard during the Council meeting last night.  This morning, the title just didn't sit right with me.  As a matter of fact the whole post sounded like I was siding with Phillips and Alston's assertion that the paper some how got this 'racist' thing wrong.  I was not.  Sometimes only I get my sarcasm.

I really need an editor, or a tape delay.

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Update 2/16:  N&R: Alston re-thinks his charges.

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Lowana takes great exception to Ben's comments on public assistance in my post on the Chapel Hill Conference...

"First of all, Ben, You can't speak for every homeless and low-income person when you say that a homeless person should be on their feet in 6 months. Let me ask you something BEN. Have you ever been homeless? I have! Do you have children? I do. Have you ever been on social services in the past to know the problems that they give parents or people period before they can even get help? I HAVE"

Lowana has her own place and she also guest blogs at the Barbershop Blog.  Ben has a good one, too.  But I'm a gracious host and welcome them both to hash it out here.

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Another piece in the puzzle of why St. James Homes II was "allowed" to fail falls in to place.  The N&R's Margaret Moffett-Banks continues her reporting today on events that led up to the project's impending date with the wrecking ball.

Banks points out again in today's article that she requested information from HUD on January 14th about why a $400,000 grant was withheld from the project, but is getting no response.  Today's article might shed some light on why HUD might be stone-walling the reporter, but they can't hold out forever.

Skip Alston is quite candid after hearing of Commissioner Linda Shaw's intervention with HUD.   "All of it adds up.", he says.

Well, maybe not 'all', but we're getting there.

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Note to Councilman Phillips, does today's article not at least suggest some conspiracy (def. #2)?  Perhaps Shaw's actions are not tied to my particular theory, but still...

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