It's not new news now, but it's still worth celebrating: the N.C. Museum of Art has been given a tremendous gift in the form of a rare Pablo Picasso piece and some other nice pieces that even by themselves would be tremendous additions to an already fabulous museum. "The paintings are four works by late 19th- and 20th-century European masters," says the museum's blog, Untitled. "The star of both exhibitions was a striking portrait of a nude, pensive woman by Pablo Picasso (Seated Woman, Red and Yellow Background, 1952). That portrait of the artist’s soon-to-be ex-mistress Françoise Gilot will be coming to Raleigh, first as a loan for the Grand Opening of the new gallery building, and later as a gift.
"Two other paintings in this promised donation feature similar river towns and an arching bridge, but they could not be more different. One by the Anglo-French Impressionist Alfred Sisley (The Bridge at Moret on an April Morning, 1888) is all sunny tranquility. In contrast, The Bridge at Poissy (1905) by Maurice de Vlaminck is stridently colored and agitated as though the artist had drunk five too many espressos. The fourth painting is a Wagnerian seascape by the German expressionist Emil Nolde (Fishing Boat [Red Sky]), painted in 1916 in the midst of World War I.
"The Sisley joins our two Monets (The Seine at Giverny, Morning Mists and The Cliff, Etretat, Sunset) and one Pissarro in giving us a strong core collection of French Impressionists. The Nolde contributes a bold new subject to our group of German expressionist paintings. The Vlaminck leaps beyond Impressionism into the wilder territory of the Fauves where things are as strongly felt as they are seen. And the Picasso gives us our first Picasso. Enough said.
"Together, these four paintings constitute one of the most significant gifts of art in our history. So, sound the trumpets!"
Amen to that. Some estimates have put the Picasso's value alone well into the tens of millions.
None of the dozen Sears department stores or eight Kmart discount stores in the Triangle are among the 21 stores that Sears Holding Corp. plans to shutter in the spring.
However, a Sears store at the Wilson Mall in Wilson will be shut down, according to a report from the company. It is the only store in North Carolina on the list for closure. The closing will affect 54 employees in Wilson by the time the store closes on May 1, according to a report in the Wilson Daily Times.
Raleigh-based K&S Cafeteria has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, according to the TBJ. Company Prez Harry Smith states that his two cafeterias (one in Raleigh, one in Cary) "are still in business and will continue to serve …all of our loyal customers.”
K&S filed the Chapter 11 petition Feb. 16 under the corporate name K&S Cafeteria at Tower Inc. In the filing, the company estimates that it has assets of $0 to $50,000 against liabilities between $1 million and $10 million.
In a written statement issued Tuesday, Smith says his company will press forward.
“We are reorganizing to respond to current economic circumstances,” writes, Smith, who owns 90 percent of the company, according to the filing. “K&S Cafeteria does not intend for this reorganization petition to affect our customer service!!”
In other Raleigh news, it looks like the Five Points coffee joint TheThird Place has had its doors closed ... and hopefully just temporarily.
New Raleigh has received a few unconfirmed reports that The Third Place Coffeehouse in Five Points has been padlocked with a tax notice. An attempt to reach the shop by phone resulted only in an answering machine. Hopefully this is only a temporary issue as it would be a huge loss for Five Points.
I guess it shouldn't be that surprising that the school that owns the water (Go BassPack!) would offer a sport fishing school.
I got an email about N.C. State's 58th annual (seriously? How have I missed this?) Sport Fishing School, to take place May 30-June 3 in Hatteras.
And here I thought bowling was the coolest class I ever took at State.
The Sport Fishing School, in its 58th year, is a great opportunity for anglers who want to learn more about fishing for offshore big game fish and is open to anyone interested in sport fishing! Hobbyists - retirees - families - vacationers - all are invited to attend and learn about big game fishing. Persons under 18 must be accompanied by a registered adult.
Enrollment is limited to 45. Last year's School sold out!
From the official website I see that the course involves two days "of classroom instruction covering all aspects of equipment, bait, and techniques of big game fishing, plus slow trolling and surf fishing; two major excursions into the Gulf Stream, one of the most productive offshore waters in the world for blue marlin, white marlin, dolphin, wahoo, sailfish and yellowfin tuna;small groups using select charter boats with captains and mates having exceptional experience and records."
Here's the schedule:
Sunday Evening - Social, introduction to the course and fishing on North Carolina's Outer Banks Monday - classroom day Tuesday - full day of fishing in Gulf Stream Wednesday - classroom day, inshore fishing, fish fry Thursday - full day of fishing in Gulf Stream, closing banquet
And don't think I'm making fun. I really think this is great. Too bad I can't afford it. It's only -- gulp! -- $1,600!
Raleigh Public Record reports that the free circulator, the R-Line, has exceeded Raleigh officials' expectations for its first year.
Through the end of January, about 178,000 people have boarded the hybrid-electric buses at an average clip of 521 per day.
“The route was certainly performing at pretty much system-wide average for our entire CAT system, which is somewhere around 20 passengers an hour,” David Eatman, transit administrator for Capital Area Transit, told the RPR.
Cost per rider for the R-Line is also comparable to other bus services in the Triangle — each passenger costs the city about $2.86. Cost for CAT riders overall is a little higher at $3.33 each.
But to downtown residents like Leo Suarez, there are other aspects of the R-Line that justify its $544,400 operating budget. Suarez, who chronicles downtown life on the blog The Raleigh Connoisseur, says the R-Line represents a good public-private partnership that can promote downtown business.
“There are some business owners that take the risk and come downtown,” Suarez said. “It’s good to see the city make the investment too.” ...
Looking forward, Eatman said there won’t be any major changes to the service. He said that’s because the R-Line avoided a typical pitfall of new routes like these.
“One of the challenges of this type of service is that many people want to try to put a very limited service out to see how it will perform,” Eatman said. “The problem is that many times, that very limited service doesn’t have enough frequency or isn’t nice enough to draw ridership.”
Instead, transit began the R-Line with high-quality service and an “aggressive schedule.”
“That’s a major commitment, but the public has responded by using the service,” Eatman said.
But he pointed out CAT is looking at planning bus shelters for the R-Line, as well as new signage featuring the recently implemented real-time GPS tracking.
As NewRaleigh noted, the web interface "assumes that you carry a laptop around with you all the time, able to pop it open at a local WIFI spot (sponsored by the DRA too) and check out where the bus is at any given point. This is the not the case for most folks, but someone in your group having a smart phone is a bit more frequent on a night out in the town."
One of the best news about the R-Line of late is the availability of real-time GPS tracking on a Droid or iPhone, thanks to F.O. Finch and his company, Open Intelligence.
"Open Intelligence has created a Google Maps based iPhone and Android friendly version of the R-Line Tracker that can be viewed at anytime from your mobile device," says NR. "Considering the DRA stated that they had no plan to make a version for smart phones (because of theirs being built on Flash and the lack of Flash on smart phones), this was a great business move for Finch’s company."
Sen. John McCain is facing an opponent from his own party -- former N.C. State football player (and commencement speaker at the graduation of yours truly), former Arizona Rep. J.D. Hayworth.
Hayworth has made his name in conservative talk radio over the past several years, after serving six terms in Congress.
"You could say they are two John McCains. The one who campaigns like a conservative and the one who legislates like a liberal," said Hayworth at a news conference at his new campaign office in Phoenix, Arizona.
"We all love and think the world of John and John's place in history is secure," the 51-year old Hayworth said Friday. "But John no longer represents the common sense conservative philosophy that most Arizonans share."
McCain, the former Republican presidential nominee, doesn't sound concerned.
"I don't know what kind of support that Mr. Hayworth has," McCain said about his opponent.
"I haven't seen much so far, but maybe I missed it. And the voters in his district threw him out in 2006, in a heavy Republican district."
However, David Gergen says McCain could be in trouble.
"Incumbents are in trouble," he said. "But when you add to this that you're going to get attacked in your own party from your right or your left, as John McCain is getting attacked, it makes it meaner."
Don't know a whole lot about either of these, but two new businesses recently made a "go" at it in DTR, according to sources.
A retail location, Dress, recently opened at 14 Glenwood Ave.
Mirage, listed as a nightclub, is slated to open at 400 W. North St., Suite 110 (West at North project) soon. Mirage is described as a "new nightclub with sushi bar" and is scheduled to take up more than 7,600 square feet.
And, finally, the outdoor Rodin sculptures have been installed outside the soon-to-be reopened N.C. Museum of Art.
A recent Triangle Business Journal headline echoed our comments from back in November when we first learned that notoriously bumpy Glenwood Avenue was slated to get resurfaced.
This road has long been what we call a "CD-Skipping Road." Fortunately, a good number of these notorious roads have been fixed or are about to be. Unfortunately, the recent snows have probably exponentially added to the potholes.
"Drivers will soon have relief from the jarring rides they and their vehicles now endure on Glenwood Avenue inside the Interstate 440 Beltline," says WRAL.
"The state Department of Transportation plans to begin resurfacing the street between Wade Avenue and Woman's Club Drive on Tuesday. The $1.7 million project involves removing the crumbling top layer of asphalt, milling the base and applying a new layer of asphalt."
"I don't even mess with Glenwood. There are too many cars, and the potholes are terrible," said Asa Dunbar, who rides to work on Glenwood Avenue on a motorized 1959 Sears Starliner bicycle.
"It just makes me nervous when the cars swerve to miss the pothole, and they're coming into our lane," driver Jo McKenna said.
Bryan Barker, who owns the Glenwood Village Exxon, said he has had to repair tires or realign the steering on numerous cars because of the uneven surface along the road.
"It's as bad as I've ever seen it," Barker said.
Elmore said resurfacing the road instead of trying to patch holes could save taxpayers up to $20,000. Contractor CC Mangum Co. is expected to finish the project by June.
A resurfacing project on Wade Avenue is already about halfway done, and work on the street between Oberlin Road and Capital Boulevard will start when warm weather arrives, he said.
Lonnie Poole Golf Course among best new courses in America, according to Links Magazine "Arnold Palmer attended college at Wake Forest, but he built his first collegiate layout at ACC rival N.C. State. In addition to being the home of the varsity golf teams, the facility is a laboratory for the school’s turfgrass and professional golf management programs."
Raleigh, Atlanta, D.C. in top ten for sense of well-being "Feeling good? If so and you’re in the Southeast, chances are you live in Washington DC, Raleigh, NC, Atlanta, GA, or Virginia Beach, VA," says TechJournal South.
"That’s the conclusion of two groundbreaking reports published today by Gallup, the world’s best known and most respected behavioral science authority, and Healthways (NASDAQ: HWAY), the largest well-being management company in the nation.
"The residents of Boulder, Colorado, and Hawaii had the highest well-being of any city or state in the U.S in 2009, according to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index (WBI), which has been randomly polling 1,000 Americans per day, 350 days per year for the past 25 months. ...
"On the list of the top ten big cities with populations of one million or more, Washington DC ranked second, Raleigh, NC, third, Virginia Beach, VA, eighth and Atlanta ninth. ..."
Saw this in an email. Very sad to see. Here's to hoping the CV location thrives.
Dear Customers,
We are sad to announce that our Falls Village location will be closing at the end of February. We appreciate all of our customers who have supported this location over the past five years and hope you will continue to shop with us at our Cameron Village location.
Beginning Monday, February 15, all remaining inventory at our Falls Village location will be 20% off. A few of these same items will also be on sale at the Cameron Village location. At both locations, Valentines will be 50% off.
Thank you for your continued support of our family owned and operated business.
Band Together NC, a nonprofit organization that uses musical eventsto raise funds and awareness for select Triangle charities, has announced that acclaimed reggae, hip hop fusion artist Michael Franti & Spearhead will top the bill for this year’s charity concert May 22 outside Lincoln Theatre in downtown Raleigh. Visit www.bandtogethernc.org to purchase tickets starting at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 19.
Last year’s Band Together NC concert featuring Rusted Root, the Rosebuds, Chatham County Line and HOBEX attracted more than 2,700 music lovers and raised more than $141,000 for the LucyDanielsCenter for Early Childhood. Supporting acts and activities for 2010 will be announced as the event date approaches.
Music with a Message
Throughout his musical career spanning nearly 25 years, Franti has combined political and social themes with diverse musical influences such as hip hop, funk, reggae, jazz, folk and rock. After playing with the Beatnigs and Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Franti formed Spearhead in 1994. The band has released numerous albums including “Home,” “Chocolate Supa Highway,” “Stay Human,” “Yell Fire!” and the recent “All Rebel Rockers,” which marked their highest Billboard Top 200 Album Chart debut ever. The band’s song “Say Hey (I Love You)” was a hit in multiple formats last year. It was one of the most added recordings on multiple radio formats (Top 40, Hot AC and Alternative) and its music video has already exceeded 1 million views on YouTube.
Known for energetic live shows and Franti’s penchant for going shoeless, the band has gained a passionate worldwide audience through extensive touring and appearances in alternative media. As advocates for peace and social justice, Michael Franti & Spearhead have played numerous benefit concerts worldwide, including their own Power to the Peaceful Festivals in San Francisco that have recently drawn more than 50,000 attendees.
“As a musician and a man, I more than anything else want to be a unifier,” Franti explains. “I want to bring people together through music and its unique power. And I hope that somehow that sense of unity extends beyond the music.”
Benefitting StepUP Ministry
In October 2009, Band TogetherNC’s Board of Directors announced that the charity recipient for 2010 would be StepUP Ministry, an interfaith nonprofit organization that teaches low-income and homeless people to become self-sufficient. Founded in 1988, StepUP annually helps empower nearly 600 individuals in WakeCounty through two life-giving programs: job training/placement and life skills training.
“Our goal this year is to raise $150,000 for our charity partner,” said Danny Rosin, president and co-founder of Band Together NC. “But that’s not all. Amazingly, StepUP Ministry has pledged to match our fundraising efforts dollar for dollar, so there is a potential that we could generate up to $300,000 for this wonderful and deserving organization.”
Through corporate and individual donations, Band Together has already raised more than $70,000. Commitments have come from Cargill, S&A Cherokee, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Davenport Investments, Duke Realty Corporation, Lincoln Theatre, Synergy Commercial Advisors, RPG Solutions, Brand Fuel, Trisure, Capstrat, Prometheus, Hosted Solutions and Manning, Fulton&Skinner, PA.
Tickets for the event will be $22 in advance or $25 day of the show. VIP tickets are $150. Sponsorships begin at the $150 level. Event attendees must be 21 years or older.
For more information about Band Together NC, please visit www.bandtogethernc.org, become a fan or follow @BandTogetherNC. For more information about StepUP Ministry, go to www.step-up.us. Additional information on Michael Franti & Spearhead can be found at www.michaelfranti.com.
###
About Band Together NC
Band TogetherNC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization composed of business and community leaders and volunteers from across the Triangle. Since its inception in 2001, the organization has helped raise more than $700,000 for philanthropic organizations through one mission: using music to raise funds and awareness for local charities. Band Together is run entirely by volunteer efforts. For more information, please visit www.bandtogethernc.org.
About StepUP Ministry
StepUP Ministry is an interfaith nonprofit organization that teaches low-income and homeless people to become self-sufficient (stable job, stable home, stable family). Founded in 1988, StepUP annually helps empower, not enable, nearly 600 individuals in WakeCounty. StepUP accomplishes this through life-skills preparation with volunteer partners and job training/placement. More than 800 WakeCounty adults, many of them in crisis or in need, have been placed in jobs over the last five years because of StepUP Ministry. For more information, visit www.step-up.us or call (919) 781-0156.
Sue Stock reports that Amedeo's on Western Boulevard is about to be sold to David Harris and Rodney Byrd, "the duo behind the Remington Grill chain." Harris said the menu will not change and they plan on keeping the NCSU-themed decor intact.
"We wouldn't go into it unless we thought we could keep producing the same great food," he told the N&O.
Hopefully, Harris will be true to his word and keep the Wolfpack-themed stuff as well as the menu. After all, Amedeo's -- which opened in 1963 -- has been one of the few State-themed places to stick around, especially with the close of Brothers Pizza several years ago. (The "new" McDonald's on Western, not far from Amedeo's, put a lot of Red & White/Wolfpack memorabilia in its redesign.)
Ignite Raleigh 2: Electric Boogaloo (OK, I made that last part up) will take place on March 3, yet again at the Lincoln Theater downtown.
Now is the time to submit your presentations if you are interested.
Are you ready for Ignite Raleigh 2? Ignite Raleigh 2 will be held on Wednesday, March 3, Lincoln Theatre, Raleigh, NC 7-9pm. Last year over 500 attendees joined the Triangle community as the first Ignite event was held in North Carolina. This year we’re a part of Global Ignite Week as we join 60+ cities around the world hosting Ignite events.
Not sure what Ignite is?
"Ignite events were originally conceived as technology variety shows, but they have grown into much more than that. Ignite is about ideas. Ideas can change the world. And it takes less than five minutes to spread one." (Props to The Glowing Edge for pimping Ignite Raleigh 2 -- where I first saw it, rather.)
Admittedly, I may have missed this last week or so when all the high-speed rail news was buzzing, but looking at the map (below, via CNN.com), it *appears* that Raleigh/The Triangle could be a hub for the Southeast's high-speed rail corridor. Wanna take off to Charlotte (in about an hour)? Sure -- but on second thought, let's go to Savannah!
Decisions, decisions.
"When the awards were first made, questions were immediately raised as to whether the amount of funding was adequate. After all, $8 billion is just a tiny fraction of what it would cost to build a network of high-speed trains, as envisioned by the U.S. Department of Transportation," says CNNMoney.
California's proposal alone is expected to cost in excess of $46 billion, and includes trains that could hit speeds of 220 miles per hour. ...
High-speed rail proponents envision a multi-decade funding effort from both public and private sources to build a system serving 13 of the nation's largest metropolitan areas.
To go really fast, new railroad beds are needed that are both straight, free of slow-moving freight trains, with few if any road crossings. Cars would cross the tracks via bridges or tunnels. This is all done in the name of safety, and accounts for much of the hefty price tag.
Public funding would come mostly from the federal transportation bill -- a mammoth piece of legislation that is generally renewed every six years and funded largely by taxes on gasoline and other road-related items.
In the latest version, which Congress should consider late this year or in early 2011, supporters are asking for $50 billion out of an expected $400 to $500 billion for high-speed rail.
Private funding could come from infrastructure companies looking to operate part of the network for a profit.
"Hopefully states will step up, and the private sector will step up," said Gene Conti, secretary of North Carolina's Department of Transportation and point person on rail for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. "This is a good start on a national program that will pay great benefits."
Just came across this at WRALSportsFan.com. The Carolina Hurricanes have apparently worked out a deal to have a minor league team in Charlotte.
Canes owner Peter Karmanos said the Albany River Rats -- currently the team's minor league affiliate -- is to have a press conference tomorrow to announce the move to the Queen City - "a relocation that the Canes owner says will help with logistics, money, and in creating a brand for the Hurricanes that will cover the entire Tar Heel State."
This is, in my opinion, a great move for the Canes. There seems to be an untapped market for Caniacs outside of the Triangle, and this could certainly pave the way for more statewide fans.
In other Carolina news, Karmanos said he will be "disappointed" if Raleigh does not host the 2011 NHL All-Star Game or another one in the next few seasons.
Carolina is "squarely in position to host its first game," according to WRALSportsFan.
An All-Star game at the RBC Center would mean a lot for Karmanos' team - increased publicity league-wide, and perhaps most importantly, the monetary boost every team needs in a down economy. The Hurricanes sold about 10,000 season-ticket equivalents this season, a number Karmanos would like to see get to around 14,000. He believes having the All-Star Game would help achieve that goal.
Update (4:01 p.m.): According to the Albany paper, the River Rats are being sold to Michael Kahn and will relocate to Charlotte. (This leaves the future of the Charlotte Checkers in doubt.) "Word of the sale initially surfaced last month and was confirmed by sources, although the River Rats called the report premature," says the paper.
Walter Robb, who has owned the Rats for the past 10 years, has been trying to sell the team to local interests but could not find a buyer. The Carolina Hurricanes, Albany's NHL partner the past four seasons, openly expressed their desire to have their AHL prospects play closer to Raleigh, and the sale will accomplish that.
The 2010 Carolina RailHawks FC schedule is now out. The Hawks open with two straight home games (April 10 against St. Louis and April 16 against Minnesota). All home games are at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.
The RailHawks will play in the USSF Division 2 this season.
“It’s exciting to finally have the schedule for next season,” said RailHawks coach Martin Rennie. “We’re bringing back a strong nucleus from last year’s team and adding a few new key players that will help us build on all the success of 2009.”
The RailHawks will play the bulk of their games on the weekend – 21 matches, 11 at WakeMed Soccer Park, leaving nine mid-week dates, four at home. ...
With the front of the schedule loaded with away matches – 10 of Carolina’s first 15 matches are on the road – the back end will allow the RailHawks to play mostly at home. Of their final 15 matches, 10 of them will be at WakeMed Soccer Park. Beginning July 28, the RailHawks will kick off a four-match homestand against Rochester, then face Vancouver (July 31), Montreal (Aug. 7) and Rochester again (Aug. 11). The RailHawks will close the season with four home matches in September against Crystal Palace (Sept. 3), Portland (Sept. 11), Puerto Rico (Sept. 25) and Austin (Sept. 30). ...
The RailHawks have also reserved dates for at least two exhibition games – one in April, one in July – and are planning to bring in at least one team from Mexico’s Primera División. Those teams and the dates of those friendlies will be announced soon, as will the RailHawks’ preseason plans.
I was over at NewRaleigh recently, reading about the opening of one of Raleigh's newest restaurants, bu-ku. The article states that the folks at bu-ku recognize that their new joint is part of the “quickly emerging, food-conscious Wilmington Street District” which NR said likely means Busy Bee, Gravy and Sitti "which are located a few blocks North and actually on Wilmington Street."
But reading this reminded me of something I've been pondering for quite some time. And that is that Wilmington Street (aka, "Dub Street") is, in my opinion, the most quintessentially urban and city-complete street in Downtown Raleigh. It is the one street that seems to offer the most amenities for city living in Raleigh. It also seems to be the most consistently vibrant. It is my favorite downtown street, bar none.
Now, this is not to say that I dislike Fayetteville ("F") Street. Quite the contrary. F Street has lived up to its promise; it is the photogenic, social calendar street that we all hoped it would be. Want a great snapshot of your visit to Raleigh? Get on one end of Fayetteville and shoot toward the other. You won't be disappointed. It *looks* like a city, and that is important.
But walking or driving down Wilmington Street -- at virtually any time of day -- offers a glimpse of how Raleigh probably used to be -- and is getting even closer to returning to (preposition). There are churches, filled storefronts, services, offices, a variety of restaurants and even (drum roll) grocery stores. It's the kind of street that makes you feel like Raleigh is a "real city."
Some of my favorite places are either on Wilmington Street or just "off" of it in what could be its own, already-alluded-to Wilmington Street District : Sitti, The Busy Bee, Raleigh Times, Clyde Cooper's and The Landmark. (I've yet to make it to Dos Taquitos Centro, but if it's anything close to its other location, then I'm sure it's phenomenal.)
Retail-wise, there are a host of shopping options, featuring stitch! (which is basically on Wilmington), Isaac's, Reliable Loan (a Raleigh institution) and then Taz's empire of stores. (There is talk of Taz (pictured) opening a butcher shop.) There are of course barber shops and tattoo parlors and more, further adding to the diversity and vibrancy of "Dub Street." It is the lifeblood of downtown Raleigh.
(Busy Bee photo from State Archives; others by Goodnight, Raleigh!)
I don't live in Garner, nor have I ever been to the Southeast Regional branch of the Wake County Library system that is located in Garner. But I'm a firm believer in the expansion of library branches, not cutting them. So go here to sign an online petition to keep the Garner library open.
As one frantic email says, "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE sign this petition to keep the Library in Garner OPEN. This is no joke, they are talking about closing this one b/c they "need to make budget".............This is one of the MOST used libraries in the COUNTY."
Well, if you're discussing Our Fair City, nothing -- at least as far as I can tell. But it looks like there was a pre-Super Bowl party at THE RALEIGH hotel in Miami the other day. And anytime you can link anything "Raleigh" with Sports Illustrated models and other celebrities, it's a good thing. Even if it's a stretch. After all, not unlike the way you would do the "whisper game" in elementary school, it won't be long before people are saying, "yeah, I read online that Marisa Miller went to a Super Bowl party in Raleigh." "Yeah, I heard she regularly hangs out in Raleigh." "Me too. I heard she's a big fan of Clyde Cooper's." And so on and so on.
If that happens, you can thank me. (Photos by Getty Images)
The people -- and their pups -- have stood up and spoken. And it looks like Wake County has listened.
"It may soon be OK to go to dinner with your dog again," says the News & Observer.
North Carolina health officials are proposing a rule change that would let pets come to the table at outdoor restaurants as long as they don't go inside or do anything else that might contaminate people's food.
Terry Pierce, director of the Division of Environmental Health, said current rules are unclear about whether pets are allowed at restaurants. The rules say animals could not be let into food preparation or storage areas, and they specify that patrol dogs and service animals could be allowed in certain places.
Last fall, Wake County health inspectors began telling some restaurant owners that they interpreted the rules to mean pets were not allowed in outdoor dining areas. Tables on sidewalks and patios have proliferated in recent years and become popular with those who like to take their animals on play dates.
Some people hate cats. Others hate bureaucrats, and those people sent letters,e-mail messages and angry phone calls by the hundreds to the Food Protection Branch of Environmental Health, suggesting that their animals were less likely to cause food-borne illnesses than some restaurant workers and that surely the government could find better things to do than worry about a ShihTzu sitting outside a coffee shop.
On the other hand, some people don't think restaurants should open their al fresco seating to patrons who scratch, pant, lick themselves and eat indiscriminately off the ground. ...
Under the new rule, restaurant owners could decide what pets, if any, to allow in their businesses. Those who do allow pets would have to restrict them to outdoor areas. Service animals would continue to be allowed inside restaurants.
Personally, I'm the owner of two Pointers who I would never -- in a million years -- consider taking out to, say, Lilly's or Moonlight Pizza. (Our two boys would unfortunately snag food off the tables.) But I think this is one of those small traits that goes a long way in showing that Raleigh can support an urban (ie: downtown living) clientele. You see this way of life in many of the great cities of the world.
Of course, it's up to the dog owner(s) to know if his or her pooch can behave enough to paint the town red.
We want to give a hearty "welcome" to the Society's first official sponsor, The Other Kid.
As you can see from their banner to the left, The Other Kid makes fashionable dog collars and leashes -- all right here in Raleigh. (Their cupcake collars are apparently VERY popular.) Welcome aboard, folks! And thanks for your support! If you or your business are interested in supporting this blog, please feel free to contact any of our contributors. We are open to all types of sponsorship levels; let us know what you feel like you can do.
It is our hope that we can use funds not to go into our own pockets but to instead be used for a local charity OR perhaps for a local initiative. (Possible ideas for this could be to donate City of Raleigh flags to businesses, help to kick off another public art campaign, honor a Citizen of the Year, hold a yearly meeting or more.)
Thanks in advance for your support. Again, we don't need the money to run the blog; it's truly a labor of love and concern for the City of Oaks. We just hope to be able to do some great things -- together -- for this great community.
This is kinda-sorta old news by now, but we haven't touched on it here, so here goes 'nuthin' ...
It was announced on Thursday that the federal government is awarding North Carolina some $545 million for further development of the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor, meaning high-speed rail should actually become a reality. And, just as cool, Gov. Perdue announced this money should result in $4,800 private sector jobs. (The funding is courtesy of the ARRA.) “Building this high-speed rail corridor will put our people to work on critical infrastructure projects and boost local economies in North Carolina,” said Gov. Perdue. “This is a huge leap toward making high-speed rail in North Carolina a reality.”
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson announced the funding award (on Thursday) during a ceremony at the newly renovated Durham train station. This will serve as an addition to the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor--a nearly 500-mile route that will allow trains to travel between Charlotte and Washington, D.C. at top speeds of up to 90-110 miles per hour and an average speed of 86 mph.
“Every dollar we spend on high speed rail is an investment in job creation and in cleaning the air we all breathe,” said U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Building high speed rail will put people in North Carolina to work right away, lay the foundation for long term growth and make travel faster and cheaper - all while reducing our impact on the environment.”
Since the USDOT designated Charlotte to Washington, D.C. as a high-speed rail corridor in 1992, the N.C. Department of Transportation has invested more than $300 million in the state’s intercity passenger rail service for renovation and construction of train stations, track work improvements and corridor preservation projects in order to pave the way for high-speed service.
The News & Observer reacted (mostly) positively in an editorial.
... Population density in an area such as the Triangle, while a valid concern when it comes to local commuter rail, is less of a factor in gauging the market for intercity passenger service. What's more important is how many people travel to destinations such as Washington and Charlotte, within that medium-distance range where the hassle of flying often isn't worth it and the time to drive is roughly the same.
Passenger train ridership hinges on speed and convenience (i.e., frequency of service). Train travel doesn't have to become the default, replacing highways, for it to become a useful option for many people. And the "subsidy"? All transportation modes are subsidized by the public in one fashion or another. The main expectation should be that costs match up well with benefits.
Of course, when the federal government is looking to stimulate a bummed-out economy through infrastructure investment, rail becomes a logical candidate. President Barack Obama has bought into the concept of targeting rail spending on corridors where high-speed passenger service would likely be popular. That's welcome news for North Carolina.
The Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor runs through the Triangle's heart, extending to Charlotte in one direction and Washington in the other. To complete it will cost much more than the $520 million that, as was announced yesterday, North Carolina now is set to receive. But this infusion will give the project added momentum.
The upshot, attainable perhaps over the next half-dozen years, could be passenger trains running between Raleigh and Charlotte in a little over two hours, and from Raleigh to D.C. in about four. That will sell tickets [emphasis mine]. And meanwhile, freight service would benefit as well. ...
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