Goodbye GreensboroMetro...Hello Vegas Valley View

It's time to hang the "Closed sign" up on GreensboroMetro.

Hello Vegas Valley View. Yes, Vegas...as in Las Vegas!

Visit and bookmark the all-new Vegas Valley View on http://vegasvalleyview.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Greensboro, for the memories.

E.C. :)

Why I resigned from the city's Planning Board

It is with deep sadness and regret that I tendered my resignation
from the Greensboro Planning Board effective immediately. Sadly,
recent personal events in my family have ultimately led to this sudden
and untimely decision.

One of which is the personal, yet-shocking discovery that several of
my maternal family members are victims in the recent and
widely-publicized disinterment of deceased individuals at a
Chicago-area cemetery. While the true horror of this discovery is
starting to settle in, I suddenly now find myself becoming immensely involved in working
with family members and both law enforcement officials and legal
experts in finding answers, which will be a time consuming effort.

In addition, my family is one of many in the Triad that struggles to
survive paycheck to paycheck, working in a service-oriented economy.
While I consider myself part of Greensboro's dwindling "creative
class," I'm finding myself needing to rededicate more time to securing
better employment, even if it is outside of the Piedmont Triad. While
I would hate to relocate, our family may not have much choice if our
local economy fails to improve quickly, nor if an adequate number of
jobs that I'm degreed for are not brought into the area.

Because I'm involved with these two pressing issues, it is unfair to
the citizens of Greensboro to provide the necessary leadership
required when pressing family concerns warrant my immediate attention.

While my tenure was short, I appreciated serving the citizens of this city.

May God truly bless the citizens of Greensboro and Guilford County.

E.C. :)

Out of tragedy comes triumph

Out of tragedy comes triumph.

It's been a few years since I've flown back home to Chicago (I moved away permanently back in late 1997). But after a relative passed away on my father's side of the family, I found myself flying up late last week. It was good to see my old hometown, even if it was only for a short period.

And while I was well-prepared to blog about seeing my old hometown again and discuss the creative class being very much alive and well in the Windy City and discuss comparisons and contrasts, I got side-tracked.

For the "tragic" part was not the event itself that I flew up for, but what was waiting for me as I opened up the Chicago Sun-Times on my US Airways (shameless plug) flight back to CLT (and ultimately to GSO). It nearly made me sick to my stomach.

A front page story last Thursday reported that over 300 bodies at a southwest Chicago-area cemetery were dug up. Bodies unearthed, like weeds in a field. Burial records destroyed. Plots resold in a massive scheme. Four arrests were made and the FBI has joined the investigation. Chicago Tribune coverage here. The latest from the Cook County Sheriff can be found here.

Normally, I would have read a story like this and would have shook my head...but this was different. See, there is a problem: I have personal ties to this cemetery. And at last count, according to family, I have at least eight relatives buried in this cemetery. Our family counts are continuing.

I shudder the thought of printed pictures like this below (Sun-Times courtesy) where officers from the Cook County Sheriff's Office are combing over the now-shuttered cemetery grounds, hallowed grounds that house remains of my great grandmother and great great grandmother. As of now, we have no information as to if those remains are intact or untouched. We are uncertain if the cemetery's records are intact or destroyed. My family back in Chicago has no information at all.

Talk about a unique kind of stress.

The cemetery, now closed due to the gruesome crime scene that exists there today, is home to many families of color on Chicago's South Side. And as I am quickly educating myself on the history of Burr Oak Cemetery, and its unique relationship to predominantly black funeral homes on Chicago's South Side, I'm constantly reminded that out of tragedy comes triumph.

Triumph in the sense that even though my family is scattered across the country, we're brought together in times of tragedy such as this. And we're made stronger.

While the shock hasn't quite hit yet, the anger is starting to grip me. How could human beings with a conscience do this? How could something like this be allowed to happen? It is my hope and prayer that these questions will be answered in time.

But for now, I'm left to wonder what is happening 600 miles away. We're all left to wonder why and how. And we're left to ask questions...hoping to get answers.

Answers will come. I'm hopeful and prayerful.

E.C. :)

Tax increases? Because she's the governor, dammit

She actually said that...well, not the "D" word, but in defending why she wants to raise taxes to attempt to plug a shortfall in the budget, she said:

"Because I'm the governor."

Moron...

E.C. :)

Still stuck on stupid...

Undoubtedly, this post is going to offend some of you...I apologize in advance. I mean no harm.

But this really has me agitated...the Triad's local economy has been stuck (on stupid) for the past decade, and yet, our so-called economic developers continue the madness of promoting this area (even to out-of-state honchos) as a big aerotropolis. Another article in today's N&R points this out.

An op-ed than ran over the weekend by Dan Lynch shows us that we still don't have the crown jewels to think high...no. Instead, we race to board a developer's private plane in an effort to build a multi-million dollar site in the southern part of downtown for a school system that's broke, building a hotel and office complex for a city that has no jobs...and I don't mean service jobs.

Remember, I work a $9/hour service job in Winston-Salem; it barely pays the bills, we struggle, but we're surviving. And yet, I continue to get frustrated when I see empty websites (ones I frequent) like this:

	Companies may advertise a position opening in the PRSA Job Bank. The charge is $75 for members and $100 for non-members. The available position will be e-mailed to chapter members, listed in the next monthly chapter newsletter and in the job notebook available at every chapter meeting. It will also be posted on the Web site two weeks after the initial e-mail to members. For more information on our Job Bank, contact our Job Bank chair, at jobbank@prsatarheel.org. Also be sure to check the PRSSA JobCenter for more job hunting resources. Position City State

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that's right....empty.

It makes me question my future...and my role in this area.

This area cannot survive on a service-based economy. It cannot. If you think it can, look to articles like this, where we continue to play 3rd fiddle to Raleigh and Charlotte, with a population loss.

And for those of you planning a run for City Council, heed this now...think higher, think broader, think jobs...GOOD jobs, so that this area can survive. Otherwise, you will not get my vote.

E.C. :)

PTI E-fares for 7/2/09

After some well-deserved days away from the Triad, I'm back...and it is good to be back.
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United Airlines
	Chicago (Same Day Return Special) ROUND TRIP. Purchase online only at united.com, click "E-Fares Specials" and select the "Same Day Return" tab by Fri., July 3. Depart before 11:00 a.m. CT and after 4:00 p.m. CT Sat., July 4, 2009. Price does not include taxes or fees.	$134.00
	Cleveland ROUND TRIP. Purchase online only at united.com, click "E-Fares Specials" and select the "Domestic This Week" tab by Fri., July 3. Depart Sat., July 4; return Mon., July 6 or Tues, July 7, 2009. Price does not include taxes or fees.	$140.00
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	St. Louis ROUND TRIP. Purchase online only at united.com, click "E-Fares Specials" and select the "Domestic This Week" tab by Fri., July 3. Depart Sat., July 4; return Mon., July 6 or Tues, July 7, 2009. Price does not include taxes or fees.	$178.00
	Tampa ROUND TRIP. Purchase online only at united.com, click "E-Fares Specials" and select the "Domestic This Week" tab by Fri., July 3. Depart Sat., July 4; return Mon., July 6 or Tues, July 7, 2009. Price does not include taxes or fees.	$172.00
	Washington, DC ROUND TRIP. Purchase online only at united.com, click "E-Fares Specials" and select the "Domestic This Week" tab by Fri., July 3. Depart Sat., July 4; return Mon., July 6 or Tues, July 7, 2009. Price does not include taxes or fees.	$186.00
	Washington, DC (Same Day Return Special) ROUND TRIP. Purchase online only at united.com, click "E-Fares Specials" and select the "Same Day Return" tab by Fri., July 3. Depart before 11:00 a.m. CT and after 4:00 p.m. CT Sat., July 4, 2009. Price does not include taxes or fees.	$134.00
US Airways
	Charlotte ROUND TRIP. Purchase online only at usairwayscom, click "Specials" and select "e-saver specials" by Sat., July 4 at 9 p.m. PT. Depart Sat., July 4; return Sun., July 5 through Tues., July 7, 2009. Price does not include taxes or fees.	$138.00
	Washington, DC ROUND TRIP. Purchase online only at usairwayscom, click "Specials" and select "e-saver specials" by Sat., July 4 at 9 p.m. PT. Depart Sat., July 4; return Sun., July 5 through Tues., July 7, 2009. Price does not include taxes or fees.

$150.00

Welcome to Winston-Salem?

So the Piedmont Triad Research Park lays off staff, including its executive director and marketing director (guess not a whole lot of research is going on right now)...at the same time a baseball team wants more money from Winston-Salem coffers.

Ahh, the irony.

Welcome to Winston-Salem.

E.C. :)

Welcome to Greensboro?

So another 121 workers in this city get pink slips, only days after your city council increased water rates for city residents...simultaneously while"synerG" staff promote a new welcome brochure to the city's rapidly dwindling pool of young professionals.

Ahh, the irony.


Welcome to Greensboro.

E.C. :)

PTI E-fares for 6/10/09

TO ROUND TRIP FROM PTI: Albany $168 See this fare Atlanta $118 See this fare Boston $190 See this fare Chicago $202 See this fare Cleveland $150 See this fare Nashville $150 See this fare Rochester $150 See this fare Syracuse $158 See this fare Washington, DC $150 See this fare Click here for more special fares

Use the links provided in this e-mail or visit the PTI website FlyFromPTI.com and use the Fare Deals links from the PTI web site to see this and other special fare offers when possible. Some airlines will have a special button called, "Special Fares, or Promotional Fares" that will link you to fares not found through the regular booking or search process.

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Confirmed: NC is the Land of the Lost

I had this back on May 26 where I grew concerned about the median lighting along I-40 was out in several long stretches during the evening hours. Now, CBS-2 WFMY has the "developing story" over just why this has happened.

The state is broke. Gee, so what else is new.

All that money spent putting the lights up...just for decoration. Sad.

E.C. :)