Greensboro Daily Photo

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. 

Kettle Korn

Papa's Old-Fashioned Kettle Korn was a big hit at the Liberty Antiques Festival this year. The nice weather brought people out to shop: the warm afternoons made preparing kettle korn a little warmer, too. The distinctive aroma of kettle korn wafted along the rows of antiques all day long. The above photo was taken in the morning, when long sleeves were still needed. Seeing this kettle korn photo reminds us that the 150th North State Fair opens today and is well under way in Raleigh.

Since 1867, shortly after the Civil War, the state fair has been showcasing North Carolina's number 1 industry- agriculture. Prices to enter range from free to $10.* It starts today with a poultry show at 9:00 am and ends on Sunday, October 22nd, with many events including a folk festival. In addition to rides, games, exhibits, and competitions, the state fair is 11 days of three stages and 118 concerts that are free with admission. Recreate, for your family and friends, a scene right out of the Andy Griffith Show. Head on over to Raleigh and make some memores... and, while you are there, treat yourself to a big bag of kettle korn! If papa is there, tell him we said hello!

*see schedule, fees, competitions, and other information, here.

Men in Blue Waiting for the Presidential Motorcade

Today, we want to share one more photo of the corner of Cleburne Street and Cornwallis Drive on Saturday evening. It shows the level of police protection along the route President Trump was taking from the airport to the fundraiser at the DeJoy's home on Country Club Drive. Policeman work really hard every day, but they were especially working hard on Saturday. It was interesting to stand and talk to them.

In the time we were waiting, we learned that they were wearing cameras. We learned that the elaborate lighting system on their bicycles was designed by the policeman in the foreground. People were encouraging him to market it. After working to protect the President, the policemen had to head downtown to work since it was NC A&T's homecoming. Before President Trump even arrived, everyone was soaked- including the policemen.They worked really hard to keep order, yet establish rapport at the same time.

 

President Trump Came to Greensboro

President Trump came to Greensboro last night. The above photo was taken at about 7:00 pm as he turned off of Cornwallis Drive onto Cleburne Street en route to the DeJoy home on Country Club Drive in Irving Park. The presidential limousine was one of many vehicles in the motorcade; police special operations vehicles, secret service cars, emergency vehicles, and other cars filed from the airport to the DeJoy residence so that the President could be in attendance for the GOP fundraiser. Entry level donations started at $2,700.

As we waited, there were families that brought their children so that they could remember forever the day they waited in the rain to get a glimpse of the President and to be part of the event. You can barely see the flag at the front of the Presidential limo. The weather was rainy and camera lenses were steaming up. Even the local newscasters were complaining of having difficulty getting good photos. It was exiting, however, to realize that we were less than a few feet from the President. While a great meal was being served a couple of blocks away, fans and protesters were left drenched. As the crowds dispersed, the rains slowed. Those who were returning in a couple of hours to see the President depart discussed bringing canopies. The crowd at Cornwallis had many Trump supporters. A few blocks away, opponents of Mr. Trump met to fundraise also. Such is the beauty of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Georgia O'Keefe Art Exhibit

The Reynolda House Museum of American Art is only about a 30- 40 minute drive from Greensboro. It is a lovely, well-appointed house built in 1917 by Katharine Smith Reynolds and R.J.Reynolds, founder of the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. The estate was originally their home- over 1,000 acres in Winston. In the 1960's, their house became a museum, dedicated to American art. 

The current exhibit features American artist, Georgia O'Keefe and offers an array of her paintings, her clothing, and photographs of and by her. Additionally there are two, short video clips about her visual inspiration in New Mexico, one of her sculptures, and a brooch, that she wore often, designed for her by Alexander Calder. The above photo, Manhattan, is O'Keefe's rendition of New York City. If you like American art and want to plan out a nice day trip for yourself, consider spending it at Reynolda House in Winston. You get not only a chance to come to know Georgia O'Keefe, her life and her art, you will also tour a lovely home, owned by a prominent Winston family.

Happy Tuesday, that feels like a Monday!

One City, One Book

Today marks the kick off, downtown, for the "One City, One Book" event this year. After considerable input, including public voting, Greensboro has chosen "Hidden Figures" for the book for us all to read. The book, about three African-American, female mathematicians who contributed significantly to NASA, was also made into a highly acclaimed movie. This is Greensboro's 8th selection for the "One City, One Book" initiative. The block party kick off will be held from 1:00- 5:00 pm today in the Central Library . The kick off celebration will spill into the parks and space downtown, surrounding the library. Some events include: A vintage fashion show, music and refreshments, vintage cars, swing dancing, make-a-book art, playing with a robot, and more fulfilled actives. 

The above photo was taken at Center City Park last year. It is a great public space in the backyard of the Central Library. Many of the events will be in LeBauer Park. However, there will be lots of fun in Center City Park, too. It is always quite popular on the weekends. Downtown Greensboro between North Elm Street and North Church Street will be full of families celebrating Margot Lee Shetterly, Dorothy Vaughn, Mary Jackson and Katherine Johnson, and all of the other great women who worked tirelessly to help NASA with math calculations and who played a significant role in the Space Task Group. Come to downtown Greensboro and be part of the "One City, One Book" project. This will be a great point of pride for our community . 

Eclipsed Eclipse

Greensboro was not very lucky with respect to eclipse viewing yesterday. In the above photo, you see students from the University of North Carolina Greensboro standing on the bridge to the Petty Science Building. As you can see from the umbrellas and the gray sky above, the skies over Greensboro were not accommodating during the eclipse. Sadly, at least in central Greensboro, the eclipse was eclipsed. We were close to being in the path of totality, but the cloud/fog coverage trumped the eclipse. 

Many locals reported getting in their cars and out-driving the overcast skies. As for the students, they appeared to stay put and watch the eclipse coverage by NASA- of places where viewing was favorable. There were a few tv screens scattered around the UNCG campus. The 2024 solar eclipse won't be anywhere near Greensboro, so start planning your viewing vacation, if seeing a total eclipse is on your bucket list. Happy Tuesday!

Swann Middle School

Saturday was the dedication of Swann Middle School, formerly known as Aycock. The above photo features the crowd on Cypress Street waiting for the gray tarp to be removed and for the Swann name to appear above the front door. Mr. Alan Duncan, Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Education acknowledged in his speech that the renaming of the school was not taken lightly and that much dialog and input from stakeholders was taken into careful consideration before this change was made. In his nineteen years on the board, this is the first time the name of one of our Guilford County schools has had a name change. 

If you read the article in yesterday's News and Record, you will know that Dr. Swann was a man of integrity who loved children and who had a special talent for getting people to work together. He came to the Greensboro City Schools in 1960 after serving in the U.S. Army. He began as a health and science teacher, served as a principal, held several administrative positions in the Central Office, and served as the first deputy superintendent of the Guilford County Schools during the merger of the city and county schools in the area. Dr. Swann had an impeccable reputation and was tirelessly dedicated to children. Students at Swann Middle School can wear his name on their orange, black and white uniforms, t-shirts, and other school-spirit items with great pride. Even though school doesn't start until Wednesday, a large percentage of the Swann school population was there to participate in the program of dedication.  

Time for Reflection

This bench is placed in front of a porch full of petunias at a home on Walker Avenue, just off Tate Street. It is so inviting and tempting to use for a respite, a time for silent meditation. At least one day a week, we all need to take pause, reflect on the week behind and the week ahead of us. Today would be a good day for to do so.

There are many serious situations in the world right now, one of which is just up the road in Charlottesville, Virginia. Tonight in Greensboro, there will be a candlelight vigil for unity and social justice at Governmental Plaza on Greene Street from 7-8pm. As a community, Greensboro made great headway toward social justice in the 1960's, during the the Civil Rights Movement. Let's hope and pray we can keep race-based violence out of our community.

And, if we see someone on the above bench, we just may ask for permission to join them, regardless of how alike or how different we may be...

First Friday August 2017

Today is the first Friday of August and downtown Greensboro will be celebrating First Friday. The above pedestrians were recently walking along South Elm Street. The city is so beautiful this time of year, with the trees and shrubs leafed out and flowering hanging baskets dotting the streetscape. If you like to get out and interact with people, come downtown this afternoon/evening for First Friday. There will be so much to do. First Friday is usually busiest between LeBauer Park and the 600 block of South Elm Street. This month, it is expanding a little bit southwest tonight as food trucks will be in the 300 block of West Gate City Boulevard-  in the former lumber yard, near Eugene Street and across from the Salvation Army Thrift Store. The food trucks will be there from 6:00 - 10:00 pm. 

You can also elect to stroll along Elm street, just like the above folks. Galleries will have lots of new art and many serve complimentary appetizers. Retail shops restock their merchandise and fluff up their stores for all to enjoy. The Greenhill Gallery on Davie Street will be open from 6:00- 9:00 pm, featuring live music from 6:30- 9:30 pm. UNCG and Revolution Mill are sponsoring the Lego Batman movie in LeBauer Park, with free, pre-show entertainment begining at about 7pm. When it starts to get dark, around 8:15, the Batman movie will begin. Bring your lawnchairs and a picnic snack, or purchase food from vendors at the park. You can simply stroll and see what is unfolding tonight, or, you can map out your evening schedule. Either way, you are sure to have a lot of summer fun!

Roundabout in College Hill

Roundabouts, or traffic circles, are looping junctions that are meant to keep traffic moving. The City of Greensboro is trying out one at the corner of Walker Avenue and South Mendenhall Street, in front of Presbyterian Church of the Covenant. The circular shape only makes it necessary to stop if you need to yield the right away to someone who has entered the circle first. Some roundabouts are fancy, with statues or fountain in the center. The above intersection in Greensboro is rather small and makeshift; if the roundabout stays, chances are, it will not have much in the middle.

The earliest circular junction known is in the English city of Bath and dates to 1768. The modern day roundabouts opened in Germany in 1899. They started becoming common in the 1960s with England having many and France boasting having half of all roundabouts. As for Greensboro, we're not known for them, but they are becoming more common. Can you think of where some of the other are located in the city? Do you like them. Most people seem to have a strong opinion about them- either loving them or avoiding them. What are your thought? Honk if you love roundabouts!

Cascade Saloon

Renovation of the long neglected Cascade Saloon is well underway and great progress is being made. The inside has been gutted and will look fabulous when completed. After nearly fifty years of being boarded up and rotting, the building is filled with scaffolding inside and on the outside. Thanks to Preservation Greensboro and taxpayers' money, the building will be restored to its former glory on the outside while being completely modern on the inside.* Twenty dumpsters of trash was removed from inside the building. The saloon has so much history, including having been owned by an African American husband and wife team in the early 20th century. (Read Susan Ladd's article if you want to know more).

The building that dates to the late 1800's is being renovated by The Christman Construction Company. They will have offices in the building. Christman has been a company since the late 1800's- almost as old as the Cascade Saloon. The Christman Company got its start in Indiana and worked most of the 20th century there and in Michigan. In the early 2000's they expanded east, merged with Retenbach, and found their ties to Greensboro. When the building is completed, we hope Preservation Greensboro will oversee an open house. The people of Greensboro are anxious to get inside. It would be fun, and a great nod to the past, if they would have a little coffee house that was open to the public. See a couple more photos of the work in progress below (click on the photos to make them bigger).

 

*reference and more information, here.

LimeBike Bicycles: In Motion!

Bicycles are taking UNCG's campus by storm and, yesterday, WXII NEWS was on campus to feature them. LimeBike, UNCG, and the City of Greensboro are working together to make the hi-tech bicycle venture work. There is no kiosk or docking station as the bikes work with a phone app. a 30 minute ride is 50 cents for university students and employees and $1.00 for the general public. The system is accessible and reasonably priced. To pick up or drop off a bike, you just have to know where to pick up and drop off bicycles. When you log on to the app, you can track the bike that is closest to you. Each bike has anti-theft locks and alarms. When you are finished riding, all you have to do is push down the rear wheel lever to lock the bike. The app will provide you with a trip summary and you are no longer responsible for the bike.*

LimeBike is a California startup and UNCG is their first campus. They selected UNCG because of Greensboro's weather and the fact that UNCG is a bike friendly community (reference). If you are interested, you really ought to try one out this summer while there is less traffic. The first ride is free and, even with UNCG's campus expanding, you can get from one end to the other in less than 30 minutes.

Currently, there are 150 bikes on campus and they plan to bring more in the fall. Below, you see two riders being filmed on Spring Garden Street and a closeup of a bike (click on the picture to make it larger). Reference and more information (here).    The July theme for the City Daily Photo community is motion. Rent a LimeBike and MOTION it will be, just like in the photo below.

Gas Prices

Gas prices have been pretty low this year. The above photo shows the gas prices at the Exxon on East Market Street, just east of downtown. At the time of the photo (a few weeks ago), the price for regular was $2.35. If you are heading to the beach or the mountains this weekend, notice the gas prices. It is fun, if you have children in the car, to have them record the gas prices and work out some math problems based on the MPG of your vehicle and the amount of gas you will need for your trip. Also, have them notice that gas prices in Virginia are lower. South Carolina just passed new gas taxes so the discount might not be so great if you head south. Gas taxes are supposed to be used for roads and highways. When you get stuck in a construction site this summer, just remind yourself that your gas taxes are hard at work.

Of course you notice Greensboro's iconic JP Building (Jefferson Standard, Jefferson Pilot, Lincoln Financial) in the background. All roads lead to this building and when you see it, you know you are home! Happy Friday. May your weekend adventures be many.

W is for Workers

If you follow Greensboro Daily Photo, you know how much construction is taking place in Greensboro these days. Literally, the city is being reinvented before our eyes. Some construction is major, like the Battleground Stamey's BBQ being completely rebuilt. Some construction is more cosmetic. For example, the above photo features the SAPPORO and Jersey Mike's on Battleground in the Earthfare plaza, near the completely new Starbuck's. This sign appears to be a facade attached to the front of the building featuring the above two businesses. 

If you'll notice, there is a man at the top of the building. None of this construction can take place without workers; and, they are everywhere and working very hard. Working today was a bit challenging, if you were still working when the WET WEATHER hit Greensboro. We had a deluge.

Today is ABC Wednesday and, for Round 20, "W" is for "workers. If you see a worker, consider treating him/her a cup of coffee and, at the very least, if they are working hard, thank them. We love the way this cloud hovered behind this worker and actually made his neon shirt stand out.

School Is Out for the Summer!

There was a time when all schools in a district began and ended on the same day. Now, with early and middle colleges, year-round schools, schools on a traditional calendar, charter schools, and other configurations, there are many calendars. However, by today, most schools should be finished for the summer. The busses are parked and the buildings are quiet, other than employees writing year-end reports and getting rooms cleaned and packed up. You should notice a difference in traffic.

If you are home with children for the summer, ideas for hings to do are only a google search away. Good search logic should find exactly what you are looking for, from how to purchase a fishing license to what activities libraries are offering to finding restaurants where children eat free on a given day of the week. Even if you are working over the summer, the increased hours of daylight give you more time to do things before and after work. Somehow, those busses, parked at Grimsley High School, look a little forlorn without any children and drivers.

What is the first thing you are going to read this summer? We'd love to hear from you!