Greensboro Daily Photo

The Barn at Coble Farm

The barn at Coble Farm looks so majestic up on the hill above West Friendly Avenue and near Guilford College. Those who follow local news know that it will be torn down as the nearby Quaker-affiliated retirement community, Friends Homes, expands. The possibility exists that someone can move the barn, although to do so would be quite expensive. This barn on a farm, once known as Sunnyhill Dairy, has already been moved once. In the 1940s, German prisoners of war were paid 80 cents a day to move it across the street to its present location.*

Word has it the barn is not in the best of shape; however, with that beautiful roofline, character, and the local history behind the structure, it would be fabulous if the architect for the retirement community could somehow build it into his plans. After all, they could hold barn dances there and invite the local community. Maybe the barn will be lucky enough to find a new home.

* reference and more information, here.

Tish Hinojosa at the Nasher Museum

Last night, the ever-talented, singer-songwriter Tish Hinojosa sang and spoke at the Nasher Museum on the Duke University campus. Tish performed as part of an event to promote the fall Music and Protest issue of Southern Cultures. This quarterly is published by the UNC Press with the Center for the Studies of the American South. Guest editor, Brendan Greaves introduced Tish and asked questions that lead to her telling stories about her creative process, which lead to stories about her family, life experiences, and activism through music.

While the Nasher is in Durham and not Grensboro, the current volume of Southern Cultures mentions Greensboro and events relevant to our city (the 1979 Greensboro Massacre, and the music of Rhiannon Giddens as two examples). The evening was free and open to the public, and what a treat, well worth the 45 minute drive. 

Since today is Day of the Dead, you may want to listen to Tish singing "Hasta los muertos salen a bailar". If you want to hear music that tells of the journey of Tish's parents to the United States, listen here. Finally, if you want a song about a mother's love for her child, listen, here.

Let's hope we can get Tish to return to North Carolina, and lure her to Greensboro next time. Happy Friday, dear readers!

Donkeys and Art

Hee haw, hee haw! These donkeys are braying the morning way to convince you to head out to Stealing Crow Farm on Highway 150, just east of Oak Ridge Military Academy (ORMA). Today, the "Keep It Local, Art and Pottery Show" will be held at 2409 Oak Ridge Road. There will be so much local art, from pottery to jewelry, to handmade dolls and so much more.

In addition, you will have the option to see some pretty cute animals, hear some music, and meet some great artists. This is the 20th year for this show. Twenty years of great artists from Greensboro and beyond! Wear a costume, or not. Nothing beats being out on a fall day and having the chance to own some really great art. 

Replacements, LTD Pride 2018

Replacements, Ltd. of Greensboro is known for more than its dishes and crystal. Replacements, just off of I-40 & 85 east of Greensboro, is known not only for replacing that broken piece of china and selling great Christmas ornaments, they are also known for having an inclusive work environment. To the owners of Replacements, partners are partners, regardless of how one identifies and whom one loves. They also have a canine-friendly work environment.

Today, Greensboro's Pride Parade was held downtown on South Elm Street. Not only was it an opportunity to take pride to the streets, the streets were lined with businesses and resources that are inclusive, respecting the rights of all individuals and couples. In the above photo, a young man hands out Replacements' complimentary rainbow buttons, with a smile. His proud mother beams with pride watching her son interacting with everyone who walked by.

This Is My Home Now

The above photo features four people who were an integral part of the Greensboro-based film "This Is My Home Now." The film is about the Montagnard, the indigenous peoples of Central Vietnam. The Montagnard community has and continues to suffer political persecution for helping Americans during The Vietnam War. As a result, many members of the community have been resettled to the United States. The largest group of Montagnard outside of Vietnam is in North Carolina, and many have been resettled to Greensboro.

About five years ago, Mariah Dunn Kramer (right), then a graduate student at UNCG studying film, approached Dean MacLeod (2nd from right), then director of education at the Greensboro Historical Museum, about making a film on the Montagnard community of Greensboro. Intentionally, Montagnard students are the dominant voice in the film. Mai Butrang (3rd from right) and Sun Bujri (on the left), both Page High School students at the time, played an integral part in the film. The four panelists were at the Friday Center in Chapel Hill yesterday for  a screening of the film at the World View K-12 Symposium. While everyone in the above photo now works elsewhere and only two remain in Greensboro, sometimes the stars align and great things happen. If you get a chance to see "This Is My Home Now,"  you will get a glimpse in to the challenges of immigration, from the perspective of Montagnard teens who struggle to navigate high school and their own identities, while helping their parents adjust to life in America. 

The Hampton Inn in Downtown Greensboro

Progress is underway for the Hampton Inn and Suites that is being built at the corner of Greene and McGee Streets in downtown Greensboro. The hotel will be located next to the brick building that houses the CEMALA Foundation. While this lot at 332 South Greene Street does not seem that large, when the project is complete, there will be not only a hotel, but also a 150-car parking deck and an outdoor pool.

As much as Greensboro is growing, hotel space downtown is much needed. With its proximity to the Carolina Theatre and Hamburger Square, both hubs of special events, having additional lodging nearby will make attending events downtown even more appealing. The 120-room six-story hotel will definitely change the footprint at the General Greene statue at the downtown round-about at Holliday Circle. 

The 2018 Wrangler Pop Up Store

At last night's First Friday, the buzz in downtown Greensboro was the fact that the 2018 Wrangler pop-up store had opened. While everyone in the above photo is wearing jeans ...perhaps Wrangler's... the inventory was placed in the back 2/3 of the store to make room for a little Brown Truck Brew and well as the music of the very talented Sam Frazier.* The live music featured songs, like Beetle's cover tunes, that brilliantly evoked the nostalgia of the Wrangler Jeans.

In addition to never-worn merchandise, the Wrangler pop up store featured used vintage pieces that had been repurposed into one-of-a-kind items. Also on site was a person monograming clothing, for those who were interested. At the time of this photo "BOSS" had just been monogramed on a Wrangler shirt with its sleeves cut out by hand. The monogramed shirt looked custom made for a cast member from the movie Grease. With the live music, the denim clothing for sale, the warm weather, and the cheerful crowd, the vibe at last night's Wrangler pop up was positively nostalgic. If you are interested in visiting, the store is located at the corner of Washington and Elm Streets, the building formerly occupied by Glitters, and more recently by local artists Hillary Clement and friends.

 

*If you know the name of the singer who performed with Sam, let us know and we'll include it in this post.

 

 

PEACE Festival @ First Friends Meeting

What could be more peaceful than nature? Well, today, from 12:30 pm - 2:00pm, First Friends Meeting at 2100 West Friendly Avenue will hold a PEACE Festival. To quote their website, "there will be food trucks, singing, dancing, creative arts projects, local artisans, adoptable puppies, and more." Speakers from many different faith groups will be there to give short presentations on their faith and to answer questions. 

The more people from different faith groups interact with each other, the more people realize how much we have in common. One of the goals of the PEACE festival  is to eliminate prejudices and racism. Another theme will be finding PEACE through care of the earth. If you are looking for something today, come out and find some PEACE, generate some PEACE. Today's peaceful photo was actually taken on Battleground Avenue. Here's to making sure that we keep the GREEN in Greensboro. Happy Sunday!

A Very Curious Camp Along Battleground Avenue

The above scene looks like it could be on the edge of the woods in rural Guilford County. In reality, it is located very near one of Greensboro's busiest intersections, along Battleground Avenue at New Garden Road. It can't possibly be meant to be a secret. Were the tenants interested in obscuring their campsite, they could have pulled it a few more feet to the east, into the brush behind Lincoln Green apartments. 

In 1781, within walking distance from this encampment, the Battle of Guilford Courthouse took place. It was a decisive point in the Revolutionary War. While the British won the battle, it was a strategic victory for the Americans. Hopefully, whatever the purpose for the encampment, from home base for someone who is homeless, to a camping experience for someone trying to live off the grid, to anything in between, may this venture be a positive, turning point for the people therein.

Cardinals on a Branch at CAN-NC/Bell House Center

 

Male cardinals have long been associated with being spiritual messengers. For many, the cardinal is the bridge between Earth and Spirit. Some believe they signal a visit from a deceased love one. For Catholics, cardinals are ecclesiastical leaders.  Regardless of one's religion or beliefs, seeing cardinals can be uplifting. How touching that, this weekend, the above cardinals are in an art show & sale directly behind Beacon Place, Greensboro's Hospice facility.

The mixed-media piece, Cardinals on a Branch, were hand carved by local artist Jennifer Nichols. Jennifer, who holds a BFA degree from UNCG, grew up in Winston-Salem watching her father carve Windsor chairs. Jennifer works full time at the Servant Center, part time as a teacher for the Creative Aging Network of North Carolina, and founder of Art Reach, an outreach program that provides art supplies to artists experiencing homelessness. People like Jennifer, who are committed to enhancing the lives of others, are what make Greensboro such a nice place to live. Stop by CAN-NC/Bell House Center at 2400 Summit Avenue today between 12 noon and 5pm to purchase this piece or other artwork.* Even if you don't need it, perhaps you know someone who would find great comfort in having this piece. If you are heading to Beacon Place to visit a friend or loved one, swing by this exhibit and give yourself a little time to experience some beautiful art.

* Jennifer's artist's statement and other information can be seen, here.

North Carolina Folk Festival 2018

This photo was taken at a dance event in downtown Greensboro, earlier in the summer. However, it reminds us that today is the eve of the opening of the 1st annual North Carolina Folk Festival. Greensboro hosted the National Folk Festival for the last three years. The national event served as a way to scaffold our community's learning how to handle the complexity of hosting a multiple-stage folk festival with international talent. 

This year, the itinerant, national folk festival will be held in Salisbury, MD with the expectation that Salisbury will have the capacity to sustain such a festival. In the meantime. all eyes are on Greensboro to  host a fabulous event (information and schedule, here).  For three days, six stages and one dance pavilion will be filled with folk artists of different genres, ethnicities, and musical traditions. If you are local, you owe it to yourself to head downtown and see just how fabulous this event will be. Let the show begin and let Greensboro show you how well suited we are to host such a great festival.

... Listen closely, we think we hear a mariachi band!

Horse Pen Creek Road Widening

Horse Pen Creek Road has been featured a lot on Greensboro Daily Photo; however, it is fascinating to watch a road get widened before your eyes. Now, they are making way for two more lanes, a bike path, a landscaped median, a sidewalk, and curbs. All of this work requires cutting down trees and grading the land. In the above photo, the tree company was exiting the formerly, wooded area with logs and tree debris. It is hard to believe that this once sleepy country road will become a limited access four-lane. You can see part of the word SCHOOL on the road as Caldwell Academy is nearby. The 30 million dollar project should help ease some of the traffic congestion in this part of town, and even make travel safer. 

Plans for the nearby urban loop, that now passes under Horse Pen Creek, have been in the making since 1948. It would be interesting to see what kind of plans the City of Greensboro has for the area seventy years from now; 2088 seems like a lifetime, or two away! Wonder if asphalt roads will be obsolete. Wonder if road surfaces will be made out of pervious materials to let the water soak through. Indeed, it is hard to make plans for and dream about a city seven decades out.

 

The Ongoing Widening of Horse Pen Creek Road

Horse Pen Creek is being widened as you read this. The above photo was taken at the end of the road near New Garden and St. Paul's Catholic Church. They are widening it all the way to Battleground Avenue. According to the city's website, it will be widened from two to four lanes with curbs, gutters, bicycle lanes, sidewalks, and a raised, landscaped median. Construction should be completed by summer 2019. How wonderful that there will be sidewalks and bike lanes. Cyclists use this road a lot and many people walk along Horse Pen Creek Road.

In the meantime, allow extra time to travel in this area. And, if you had some nostalgia for things and places on Horse Pen Creek, you might want to see them now, before they are gone. What was a sleepy little road that seemed far from town, is now a major road that is just a hop, skip, and a jump from Bryan Boulevard and you a few minutes from downtown. Notice the red clay. It looks lovely when dry, but can be fiercely slippery and inclined to stain when wet. Here is a link to the City of Greensboro's website where you can check on the many road projects throughout the city.

Water Flight 2018

The above sculpture, Water Flight, also known as Steward of Wishes, has been in the news this summer. In June, the blue panels, weighing about 200 pounds each, were turned over as a result of two people trying to slide down it. This vandalism, intentional or unintentional, prevented the 300 gallons of water to recycle properly. The water feature, located at 219South Elm Street, was created eighteen years ago by Eric Beerbower to fill a small alleway between two buildings owned by Kern. When it was broken, Eric was called on to make repairs.

The upside of this situation is that the sculpture got a facelift. The pieces were cleaned, repainted, and the small pool of water was cleaned out.* Here is a Greensboro Daily Photo of the sculpture from 2010. As you can see, it looks basically the same, except for changes in paint color.

It would be nice if Kern would install some kind of plaque naming the artist and providing basic information about the sculpture. It would also be nice if people would stop throwing garbage in the water feature. Water Flight is a great solution to making use of a quirky pie-shaped space in the heart of the city. Since it is the weekend, perhaps you can go downtown and see it for yourself. 

* reference and more information,in Carl Wilson's Go Triad article, here.

Gate City Divas

The Gate City Divas were one of two groups that performed at last night's MUSEP Concert, held at Gateway Gardens in East Greensboro. This talented group had as many as 18 people on stage, playing instruments, singing lead and back up. The resulting sound is bluesy and full; the lead singers' voices are raspy and pitch-perfect. The group members come from all walks of life; the core group of eight female vocalists play multiple instruments. Many perform with the local group, Ladies Auxiliary and most are singer/songwriters. The bass player even plays with the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra. The audience was highly complimentary of the keyboard player (Kristy Jackson). Several people commented on how cohesive the Divas' sound was given the diversity of their backgrounds, not only in music, but also in life experience.

If you haven't been out to a MUSEP concert this year, check your Sunday afternoon calendar. They continue into August. Not only do you get to hear great music, you get to experience an array of Greensboro's great city parks... for free! Each concert costs the city $3,000; so if you have a few extra dollars or want to bring a tax-deductible check, they do pass around a donation bucket.

Read more about the individual divas on their website, here.

First Responders

First responders are often under-appreciated, that is until the community needs them for an emergency. The above photo features the Greensboro Fire Station #21,  located on Horse Pen Creek Road, between the Montessori School and Kernodle Middle. This station has been open since 2006 and has overseen many changes to the area, including the current widening of Horse Pen Creek. 

The photo was taken on July 4th, when firefighters were busy testing their equipment, including the ladder, used to reach the higher floors of buildings. Hopefully, they were not called out later that evening when people were letting off fireworks in nearby neighborhoods. If you are a first responder, thank you for all you do to keep the people of Greensboro safe.

Have a great weekend, everyone and remember, tonight is First Friday downtown and tomorrow will be the rescheduled fireworks. To be sure, Greensboro's fire fighters don't need to be reminded, as they will already be on high alert!

60th Year of Greensboro's City Swim Meet

Today is the kick off day for City Meet, the 60th year of the grande finale event of Greensboro's Community Swim Association. The event is held at the Greensboro Aquatic Center (GAC) and is free and open to the public. With over 2,000 swimmers, competing over three days, from all the swim clubs in Greensboro, the event will be fun, lively, and crowded. All children are able to compete during this event. While Day 1 of the three day event is for the less competitive swimmers, it gives all swimmers a chance to participate in this community-building event. Day 2 & 3 are for the swimmers trying to break records, become golden swimmers (first in all of their individual events), and for swim clubs trying to capture the win.

Above all, summer swim with CSA of Greensboro is a time to build community and make great summer memories. There will be a parade with teams decked out in their respective colors, with swimmers and coaches taking their team's theme to new extremes. The Friendly Frogs will be in pink and green with their favorite amphibian featured prominently. The Hamilton Lakes Hornets will be buzzing up a storm. Lake Jeanette Lightning will be bolting through the pool. (You get the picture). Stop by if you can and experience some good ole Greensboro tradition. Here's to another 60 years of City Meet!

Fireworks

It is almost the Fourth of July and we all know what that means. First, many of Greensboro's residents head to the beach this week. Many who remain in town will either set off their own fireworks or go to the show at the Patriot Fireworks Show and Concert. The downtown show will take place between 9-10 pm at the corner of Davie and Market Streets, as a culmination of the Fun Fourth event.

For those who want to have their own fireworks display, there are many vendors set up around town. The above tent is located at the Green Valley side of Friendly Center. If you look between the American flag on the right/middle. you can see the O.Henry Hotel peeking through. If you do decide to set off fireworks, make sure you do it legally and let the neighbors know in case there are humans or animals that react adversely  to the loud noises. This is the most patriotic time of year and one of our few civic holidays. Finally, here is a link to the Freedom Run, if you want to start celebrating this evening. Read details, here.

Grimsley High School Graduation 2018

Guilford County Schools are now closed for the summer and high schools have bid farewell to their graduating seniors. The above photo was taken this past Sunday at the Greensboro Coliseum, when 403 Grimsley High School students graduated. Featured in the photo are Student Body President Alex Anton and Senior Class President Georgia Little. They are leading the graduates in singing the alma mater. Herbert Hazelman, Grimsley's band director for 40 years, wrote the alma mater in 1949. When singing, students point up and to the right, in reference to their optimism toward the future. 

Alex, a third generation Grimsley graduate, and Georgia, are all smiles. It has been a great year for them and they are confident that their four rigorous years at Grimsley have prepared them for college. Shall we join Alex and Georgia in one final singing of the alma mater? All hail to thee, Our alma mater strong, We'll sing thy praise through all the days, with triumphant song. All hail to thee, And as the days go by, We'll pledge our faith and love and loyalty, Greensboro Grimsley High. Congratulations to not only the Grimsley grads, but to all of the graduating seniors in the Guilford County Schools.

(photo credit: Polly Anton, used with permission)

Another Amazing Midtown Mural!

The Guilford Green Community Center is one of the latest buildings in Greensboro to get a new mural. The mural extends around the building and onto the parking lot. The community center is located at the corner of Grecade and West Bessemer, on the eastern edge of Midtown. You can see the scope of the project by looking at the door in the middle and noticing the two floors of windows.

The muralist, Adnate, from Australia and Luxembourg graffiti artist Eric Mangen are painting the above two-story office building owned by Greensboro developer, Marty Kotis. They have used a fire engine, filled with a mixture of paint and water, and eight fire extinguishers to spray this building. They work quickly and precisely. Greensboro is getting a lot of social media attention for these murals done by some of the best muralist/graffiti artists in the world.*  Follow this process on Facebook@ Eric Mangen Worx, or drive back behind the Midtown Sheetz to see this building transforming before your eyes. They will still be working on it today.

*Reference and more information, here.

 

Salvation Army Store

The State Street/North Elm area, on the edge of Irving Park, has seen a lot of change over the years. Congressman Howard Coble, whose office was to the left of this Salvation Army Family Store, is no longer with us. The barber on this corner is no longer with us. The above store, formerly a drug store, became this thrift store several years ago. Currently, they are holding a 50% off sale. Since their lease is not being renewed, the thrift store will be closing. This location was so convenient for the Irving Park, Kirkwood, St. Pius X, Page High School, area folks to donate items. It was not uncommon to find name brand clothing in good condition at this store. It will be interesting to see what this location will become in its next iteration and to see if the Salvation Army will find a new location.

In the meantime, the 24-hour BP Gas Station and Brown Gardiner Fountain across the street are still going strong and new businesses continue to pop up on State Street. The business world is dynamic and ever changing. Hopefully, the service/retail trends reflect the needs of the local people and, people in this community will find a convenient place to donate items. Remember, reduce, reuse, and recycle. The Salvation Army was extremely convenient as donation drop offs were drive-through on the side of the pharmacy window. Do you have a favorite business or employee you think should be featured here? Let us know. Happy Monday!

Cascade Saloon

The Cascade Saloon on South Elm Street is almost back in business. Built in 1895, The Cascade was a place for people to socialize, dine, and have a drink, whether just making a visit to town or about to embark on a train ride at the nearby depot. The architecture of the facade is so typical of  storefronts during the late 19th/early 20th century.

While the building has sat empty since 1960 and was at the brink of collapse, thanks to Preservation Greensboro and the Christman Company, it is being renovated. Christman, a construction company will be headquartered there. So, while you won't be able to go in for a meal, all who drive by will be able to see a very lovely building restored to its original splendor, and then some. Have a look at where the building was photographed for Greensboro Daily Photo last year and learn more about the Christman Company, here.

Employees of Guilford County Schools Mobilize to Help Families

Yesterday, schools were still closed in Guilford County. Power was still out in many schools and the clean up was not far enough along for students to traverse streets safely. Employees of Guilford County Schools (GCS) mobilized to help families all day long. From donating and distributing needed items, to charging cell phones, sawing  tree limbs, picking up debris, to checking on students, all day long, GCS employees helped families in need in so many ways.

In the above photo, GCS employees are boarding busses from Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Alamance Church Road. They were bussed into impacted neighborhoods to knock on doors, letting families know that school were resuming today in all but the four most severely affected elementary schools. Some families have been without power and with phone service. It is heartwarming to know that even after hours- early yesterday evening- teachers, administrators and staff were working together to help the families of east Grensboro. 

For those who are able to get there, schools are open for business today, but the cleanup and rebuilding is far from over. Here's to a continued, community effort in Greensboro.  If you want to help, here is a link to ways to do so. The infrastructure is already in place. See, here.

Peeler Elementary School: After the Storm

Yesterday was a very difficult day in Greensboro. The tornado/storm damage from April 15th was severe in east Greensboro; so much so that three elementary schools, Hampton, Peeler, and Erwin Montessori will have to be relocated to other schools for the remainder of the school year. Fortunately, schools won’t have to be split up, each will be absorbed into one of three other schools.

If you drive by the three heavily-damaged elementary schools, you will see facilities in need of a lot of work. As an example, Peeler Elementary (photographed above), off of Willow Road near Barber Park had several trees down, damage to the building, especially at the entrance, and the lot was filled with extensive debris.  Almost every home near the school suffered damage, from roofs being blown off, to trees falling on homes, to seemingly anything that wasn’t tied down being relocated. The power was still out in the neighborhood after 24 hours Yet, the voices of people helping each other clean up debris, the sound of chain saws cutting limbs and branches, and people comforting each other could heard throughout the neighborhood. 

At Peeler Open School for the Performing Arts, families were helping each other, too. People came to the school’s parking lot in need of water, blankets, tarps, and food. Others came to the parking lot with exactly these items to donate.  Peeler’s PTSA will continue to process donations out of the school’s parking lot. If you want to help, contact the PTSA or seek out one of the other organizations that has been called to mobilize. They will match your talents and resources with the place they are most needed. A speedy cleanup and rebuilding of East Greensboro hinges on people helping, and as efficiently as possible. As you hear of ways to help, or you want to share your story, please post them in the comments below. 

Guilford Park Presbyterian

Yesterday was a big day for Greensboro churches with regard to outreach and visibility in the community. The First Baptist Church and the First Lutheran Church both held yard sales which had people filtering in and out of their buildings all day long.  

The above photo features Guilford Park Presbyterian Church at the Earth Day celebration at Kathleen Clay Edwards Library off of Hobbs and Guilford College Road, behind Jefferson Elementary School. Guilford Park Presbyterian had a recycling game at the event and participants could win prizes. People had an opportunity to learn about recycling and get to know church members without feeling the pressure of becoming involved with the church, unless, of course, that's what they wanted to do.

Guilford Park Presbyterian is located on Fernwood Drive in Kirkwood, near the Target on Lawndale. However, yesterday, they were also located in the 98-acre Price Park that was teeming with children and adults alike, who were learning how to care for and celebrate the planet earth. Regardless of one's religious beliefs, stewardship of the earth is something that can unite humans worldwide.

Tammy Larrick, Elementary Art Teacher

Tammy Larrick was the 2017 Elementary Teacher of the Year for Guilford County Schools. She has been an art teacher for twenty years. She was photographed yesterday, after she spoke at the initiation meeting for the local Delta Kappa Gama chapters. Ms. Larrick spoke about the importance of teachers' building positive relationships with their students, and helping students become actively engaged civically. One example of such engagement is that her elementary students participate in a service learning project, fundraising to build wells for families in Burkina Faso.

Today is a very special day for Ms. Larrick and her students at Millis Road Elementary School. They will participate in the "One Day Without Shoes" project to help raise awareness and also supply shoes to children in need. As she left school yesterday, one of Ms. Larrick's students proclaimed to her. "Tomorrow will be the best day." Somehow, with this creative, committed educator, every day is probably the best day, and even better than the day before.

In the mid-1980's North Carolina legislators enacted the Basic Education Plan. That plan was built on the conviction that the  "specials", music, physical education, art, and a foreign language, are as basic to a child's education as math, science, reading, and social studies. Ms. Larrick helps remind us that the art class really is a crossroads of skills and content areas and that art is not a luxury, but a necessity. Thank you Ms. Larrick for all you do for the children of Guilford County Schools- and beyond!

McIver Building... Going, Going, (almost) Gone

The McIver Building, built on UNCG's campus in the late 1950's almost seemed doomed from the start. Professors complained about their small offices, thin walls, and the heating and air conditioning systems never quite seemed to work. Poet Randall Jarrell referred McIver it as "The Thunderbird Motel."* While many liked the contemporary look of the architecture and the mod mural on the western facade, others felt it was just too modern to be placed among some of the most historic buildings on campus.

However, as they raze the McIver building this week, for many, the nostalgia factor runs strong. So many memories remain of their years teaching, working, and taking classes in the building. People remember the long hallways, the glass-windowed post office boxes on the second floor; the faculty-only bathrooms; the tiny phone room; the "no smoking" signs in room 321 with its black, old-school, chalk boards; the giant cement kiln out back;  the enclosed courtyard lush with fig trees, castor plants, and annuals; the graffiti written in foreign languages; the seemingly never-ending, four flights of stairs on the back side of the building, the language lab in room 333, the original Weatherspoon Gallery, the impossible-to-find lecture hall in the basement, and so much more!

Soon, a Nursing and Instruction Building will stand in place of McIver. The School of Nursing has, by necessity, been scattered across campus. Finally,  the great School of Nursing will have a facility to call their own. Alas, it seems it really is time to trade "quirky" for "state-of-the-art".

 

* reference and more history, here.

"This Day Belongs to Us"

"This Day Belongs To Us" was yesterday's headline in the  "News and Record", the daily newspaper in Greensboro. This local article, as well as the national one, "Enough Is Enough", made it clear the the Nation's high school students are leading this movement. When young people take action, usually change is made. The Greensboro Sit-Ins, a local movement during the Civil Rights Era of the 1960's, as well as the Vietnam War Protests, remind us of the power, tenacity, and results when the young take action. Saturday's march in Greensboro had between 3,000 and 4,000 participants and it is estimated that half were pre-collegiate students.

The above photo features some of the student-leaders in the Greensboro March for Life. As they stood on the stairs of Government Plaza, speaking to the public, they too, had that poised, confident demeanor of the students from Lakeland Florida. It is not entirely clear the "next steps" for this movement. Students are entering the last two and a half months of the school year. To be sure, their voices will continue to be heard and, before you know it, they will be voting and running for office. Behind these students are parents and teachers who believe in them. Here's to inspiring all students to arm themselves with knowledge and feeling empowered to engage in what they think is right for Greensboro, the United States, and beyond.

March for Our Lives

Students initiating the  March for Our Lives Movement have led hundreds of thousands in their call for change. The most powerful speeches and calls for action are coming from students- as young as elementary school. While the main march was in Washington D.C. yesterday, Greensboro also held a student-led march. The above photo, taken on Government Plaza at 110 South Greene Street, with the Jefferson Pilot/Lincoln Financial Building in the background, shows that Greensboro was a sea of people, even before the march began at 2:00p.m. People braved cold, rainy weather to go express their desire for actions to eliminate gun violence and to protest the notion of arming teachers or placing guns in schools. Early College at Guilford and Grimsley High School Students spearheaded yesterday's march in Greensboro.*

Regardless of where one stands on the issue of guns in schools, everyone wants children to be safe in school. Regardless of where adults stand on issues, the youth of today are already bring about changes. As this current group of high school students turns 18 and can vote, they will have even more of an impact. It is interesting to see so many adults sitting and listening to what the children have to say. It is impressive to hear how articulate the are. Since Sunday tends to be a day of reflection and prayer, it would me nice to say a prayer that children will be safe and that the adults in their lives will find a way to work together to achieve that common goal.

* read more, here.

Leaving Eden

Leaving Eden is a North Carolina fable about to make its world debut. Greensboro's own Laurelyn Dossett wrote the music and lyrics. She is photographed above, seated next to Adam Versenyi, Chair of the Department of Dramatic Art at UNC- Chapel Hill. They were two of several people associated with the play who were making a presentation yesterday at the World View Conference in the Friday Center in Chapel Hill. The World View seminar for K-12 and community college educators was entitled, Building Stronger Bridges: Cultural Respect and Equity in the Classroom. In addition to entertaining the audience, the performance gave educators ideas of how to use plays to broach tough topics related to race and equity.

Leaving Eden is a musical journey telling of a small town in 1933 and life that centered around the cotton mills, alternating with 2016 and workers in a pork processing plant. The play will be performed in Chapel Hill at the PlayMakers Repertory Company, not Greensboro.*  However, Chapel Hill is such a short drive and, based on yesterday's performance of two excerpts, and Laurelyn's singing, Leaving Eden will be well worth the drive. Opening night is April 7th.  

* see more here.

Students in Greensboro Protest in Support of the Movement Started By Parkland Students

Yesterday, several high schools and institutions of higher education in Guilford County participated in the walk out, symbolizing taking a stand with the Parkland students. In the above photo, Dr. Omar Ali, Dean of the Honors College and Professor of Global and Comparative African Diaspora History at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, lead students who walked out and spoke out against gun violence. UNCG students and  students from the Middle College at UNCG read the names of the 17 who lost their life in the Parkland Shooting. People volunteered to speak out against gun violence and working to ensure another school student doesn't happen.

Student leaders spoke and encouraged students to participate in the March 24th March. The 1961 Greensboro Sit-Ins were referenced, reminding the assembled group of the power of students who protest and work for change. UNCG Communications Professor Spoma Jovanovic (left with light blue jacket)  also helped with the walk out. This was one small ripple in the nationwide movement. Today's youth is mobilizing to be socially and politically active. They are articulate, and determined to have their voices heard. The nation will be well served if people in power listen to what students have to say. The event took place in front of the Curry Building, a highly visible spot on a small hill beside Spring Garden Street. #NationalSchoolWalkout

Core Life Restaurant at the Former IHOP Lot near Irving Park

Workers are making progress on the Westover Terrace lot where IHOP was formerly housed. Charting the progress since we featured it, mid-February (here), the IHOP sign is gone, the lot has been leveled and the building is going up quickly. The new building is much closer to Green Valley and Battleground, that was the IHOP. To the right, a utility company from Colfax was also on site. 

Core Life, the restaurant going up in this site, is part of a fast growing chain of restaurants with healthy "clean" food for healthy lifestyles. Hopefully, it will be well received by the local communities, the people of Irving Park & Kirkwood, the people who work in the businesses and health care  facilities nearby. This photo was taken on Monday and we're betting there are already drastic changes. Likely, the building on this .64 acre lot will be ready soon. It is fun to drive around on the weekends to see how Greensboro is changing. Have a great weekend, however, you decide to spend it.

Farewell to the Reverend Billy Graham

Presidential Proclamation on the Death of Billy Graham:

"As a mark of respect for the memory of Reverend Billy Graham, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, that on the day of his interment, the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset on such day." President Donald J. Trump

Rev. Billy Graham first came to Greensboro to preach in 1951, nearly 67 years ago. He filled 15,000 seats at a time when the population of Greensboro was only 70,000. If this wiki list is complete, it appears that was the only time Rev. Graham held a crusade in Greensboro. The above photo was taken at the post office on Battleground Avenue, yesterday, in the plaza where Earth Fare is located.  May his family find comfort during this difficult time. 

Piedmont One Mic Acoustic Convention (POMAC)

The Piedmont Old Time Society, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, is hosting the first annual Piedmont One Mic Acoustic Convention. The event will be held in Franklinville, Randolph County about 40 minutes southeast of Greensboro. This music convention will be held the first weekend in May, from May 4th-6th. There will be competitions for bands and individuals with up to $2,500 in prize money awarded. Singing and playing into one microphone evokes a sound of the early 20th century. There will also be camping, dancing, and workshops. The Franklinville community has been very generous and cooperative in helping make this festival a reality.

Meanwhile, in Greensboro, at Joymonger’s last night several Society members met to work on convention details. The individuals featured above, worked tirelessly for about three hours hammering out details. The Piedmont Old Time Society is comprised of local musicians, many of whom have their own string bands or singing groups. Their hope is for the festival to attract musicians playing Piedmont Blues, Old Time, Bluegrass, Irish, Cape Breton and any other acoustic music. In an era when so much music defies being conclusively categorized, the committee will simply embrace all acoustic music, as long as it is played into a single mike, the old-timey way.

Find out more about this great event through the website of the Piedmont Old-time Society, here.

Westover Terrace at Green Valley

Today's photo features the lot where IHOP was formerly located. If you haven't been to the Westover Terrace, Green Valley Road area lately, you might not know that IHOP has relocated in the plaza with Outback Steak House, citing a need for a larger location. The old building has been torn down and workers are on site preparing the lot for new construction.

CoreLife, billed as a healthy restaurant, will move on to the .64 acre lot, owned by Kotis Holdings LLC. According to their website, CoreLife has clean, healthy foods without sacrificing taste. All items are GMO free, trans fat, artificial color, sweetener, and additive free. The chain began in Syracuse, NY three years ago and this location will make their 10th state. The business is growing quickly.  It will be interesting to see how the restaurant builds on the corner lot, on the northern end of the Midtown footpring.

O'Henry Magazine Features Greensboro Daily Photo

Greensboro Daily Photo is honored to be featured in the current edition of O'Henry Magazine (February, 2018, p. 31). After nine years of being a largely-anonymous, amateur, street photographer, I was contacted for an interview by Maria Johnson. Maria is a freelance journalist who writes regularly for O'Henry Magazine. In the above photo, I (on the left wearing pink) am shown on location photographing Toni Shaw for GDP's January 30th post. 

The article is wonderful on so many levels. First, Maria Johnson needs to be commended for her superb journalism. In a couple of hours, she asked great questions and made astute observations, capturing so many aspects of our community blog- indeed a "labor of love." Maria's casual, chatty, personable demeanor, instantly puts her interviewees at ease. Second, Maria had the great idea to follow me on a photo shoot, thereby giving recognition to a local professional photographer, Toni Shaw, who is deserving of an article in her own right.  Finally, O'Henry Magazine is to be applauded for publishing such a high quality magazine about our great city. 

No interview for O'Henry Magazine would be complete without an O'Henry ending. William Sydney Porter (aka O'Henry), born in Greensboro in 1862, was known for endings with a twist. At the end of the  interview about Greensboro Daily Photo, Maria was surprised with a request to be featured on GDP. Stop back tomorrow to learn a little more about her. In the meantime, if you are local, we hope you have a chance to read the article.

The Annual Guilford County Schools Choice Showcase

Guilford County Schools held their Schools Showcase this past Saturday. The showcase, held at the Coliseum in the event space, gives families an opportunity to explore school options. Children always have the right to attend their attendance zone school; however, Greensboro has 45 choice schools with 54 programs. While all schools teach the core basics (language arts, math, science, and social studies), the choice schools are themed, and focus on everything from S.T.E.M. to performing and visual arts to foreign language. 

The above photo shows the booth for the Spanish Immersion Program, which is houses at David D. Jones Elementary School, in the Warnersville neighborhood just south of town. Students in the Spanish Immersion Program learn their core content areas in Spanish. Imagine arriving to Kindergarten on Day 1 and not hearing your teacher speak a word of English. Imagine five year olds, after 180 days of school not even realizing that their teacher speaks English. Yet, through their fabulous teaching techniques, students learn to read and perform math problems in Spanish, often before they can do so in English.

The families of Greensboro, High Point, and the rest of Guilford County are lucky to have access to so many fabulous special programs. While there is a lottery system, the programs are free for the families using them.

Denim Blues

Finding a pair of jeans made in America just got harder. Learning that the 112 year old Cone Denim White Oak plant is closing in Greensboro has us scrambling to find signs of denim in Greensboro. Just as out city's new nickname "Jeansboro" is gaining momentum, the city will lose the plant. This news is so monumental, it made the New York Times (here).

Today's photos show a string of lights at the Greensboro Cultural Center. If you look closely, you will notice that they are wrapped in custom-made denim covers. From mid-August through October, the Cultural Center featured an exhibit entitled the "50 Shades of Blue Denim Project." It showed how artists could take denim discards and breathe new life into them by creating artwork out of denim. Perhaps we could round up some artists who could breathe new life into our city's remaining denim factory, before it is lights out... 

 

Casa Azul

Casa Azul of Greensboro promotes Latino art and culture in the local community. The above photo features the sign in desk at Casa Azul's sixth annual Day of the Dead event held at the Central Library last night. The Nussbaum Room at the library was filled with ofrendas, altars filled with offerings and remembrances of deceased loved ones. Before the event began, one room was filled with people putting face paint on the people who would be performing at LeBauer center a little later.

If you ever want to know how to be more involved with Greensboro's Spanish speaking community, Casa Azul is a great place to begin. While the two figures in the above photo may look a bit menacing, they were really quite nice and very agreeable for taking photos and answering questions. Casa Azul was established in 2010 and, over the last seven years, the not-for-profit organization has grown into a group with over 150 volunteers. They are based out of the Greensboro Cultural Arts Center, centrally located to all of the venues on the north side of downtown. 

In addition to the event in the library and LeBauer Park last night, Greensboro had many exciting activities held in conjunction with First Friday. The Art Alliance held a pottery sale in the Cultural Arts Center on Davie Street that will continue this morning (in the room beside Art Quest). Galleries were open, food and beverage establishments were busy, and retail establishments had their merchandise all fluffed up so that shoppers could enjoy their time downtown. The 80 degree weather made it quite enjoyable to stroll along Elm Street. Make sure to mark your calendars for Friday, December 1st. December's First Friday is always the one that kicks off the December holiday season. The above characters remind us, while there are 363 days until Day of the Dead, there are only 51 days until Christmas!

The Great Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin patches are in full swing in Greensboro. The above stand is the checkout counter at Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church. If Mt. Pisgah was not Greensboro's first pumpkin patch, it was one of the first. The church is known as "the pumpkin church." On a sunny day, those pumpkins glow on the corner of Pisgah Church Road and Battleground Avenue. You can spend all afternoon in the patch taking family photos and selecting the perfect pumpkins, while helping the church raise money for the church. The canopy, great advertising,  is on loan from the George Brothers Funeral Home.

As seen in the above photo, the pumpkins range from $8 to $25. They also have mini-pumpkins for 50¢. However, some of the real beauties on the grounds are the gourds which are only $3 each (see below). It was so fun hanging out in the pumpkin patch in the warmth of a glorious, fall day yesterday. And, seeing children with families making all of these special memories and photos, was priceless.