Friday, February 28, 2014

Another Rocky Mount Citizen speak up about the Event Center

This person hit the nail on the head,

I hate to disappoint you, but many of us naysayers are tired of paying for buildings and other objects in hopes that it will attract businesses and industries.

No buildings are going to help the situation until utilities, crime, taxes and race relations decrease. Why should we pay for something that may take 10 or more years to profit just so we can say we have an event center?

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Come Clean, McCrory! Press Conference & Rally

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

4:45pm until 6:00pm Face book event link here https://www.facebook.com/events/482483245196738/

· 

Toxic coal ash from one of Duke Energy's 32 toxic coal ash lagoons has poisoned the Dan River. Now is the time to finally come clean. Gov. Pat McCrory's administration should stop treating polluters as "partners" and "customers." Duke Energy must clean up the Dan River and all of its toxic coal ash lagoons - at no cost to tax-payers or electricity rate-payers. McCrory must protect our water supplies. And Gov. McCrory must come clean on his own personal financial ties to Duke Energy. Disclose the conflicts of interest. Disclose the value of his Duke Energy company stock. Disclose all information turned over to a federal grand jury, as the U.S. Attorney is now investigating.

Come Clean, McCrory!
Press Conference & Rally
Wednesday, March 5th
4:45 PM to 6:00 PM
Governor's Mansion
200 Blount Street
Raleigh, NC 27601

Wear blue to create a river of accountability in front of the Governor's mansion. Bring your own (respectful) signs or borrow one of ours. Just be there, and bring friends, to let McCrory know: it's time to take responsibility and come clean. The people of North Carolina both deserve and demand it.

Haven't signed the petition yet? You can do so at www.comecleanmccrory.com. Thanks!

 

2 MISSING TEENS

- SHARE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Authorities are asking the public for help in returning two runaway teens home.

Kaleb Michael Joyner, 17, and Barry Wayne Sutton, 18, were last seen around 11 a.m. Tuesday walking west on U.S. 64 near Interstate 95. A silver alert – usually reserved for missing persons suffering from dementia or some other cognitive impairment – was issued for Joyner.

Joyner was last seen wearing a dark gray denim jacket and black shoes with green trim. He has long dark hair, is 6'2" tall and weighs about 310 pounds.

Sutton, a 5-foot-8 white man who weighs 120 pounds and has blonde hair, was last seen wearing a blue and gray jacket and dark jeans.

Anyone with information on the teens’ whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 977-1111 or crimestoppers@rockymountnc.gov. Text a tip to police at 274637 by beginning messages with RMPOL to direct the tip to the Rocky Mount Police Department and type up to 155 characters about the information

Monday, February 24, 2014

Financing Options for the proposed Rocky Mount Event Center

From facebook 

Posted by: 

Rocky Mount City Manager, Charles Penny, will present financing options for the proposed Event Center at the 2:00 PM City Council of the Whole Meeting March 24, 2014.

Click here to add to your calendar

Announcement made during the February 24, 2014 City Council Meeting


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Forward Together Moral Movement Goes to the


Will you join us?

 

Ride the bus or meet us there! 

 

     Register by Thursday, February 27th, 2014 by emailing Carolyn McDougal, 2nd Vice President of the North Carolina NAACP, 

at carolyn8@nc.rr.com.

 

     The NC NAACP will be sponsoring a bus leaving from Chapel Hill and stopping in Charlotte on Saturday, March 8th. We will return the following Sunday, March 9th. If you will be driving yourself but would like to stay in the hotel with the Forward Together Moral Movement, please register for a hotel with Carolyn McDougal and specify that you will not be taking the bus. 

 

Basic Trip Logistics

Bus Cost: $82 round trip

Hotel Cost: $87 for double occupancy

 

Forward Together, Not One Step Back!

East pointe to host community event

The church response to domestic violence

Friday, February 21, 2014

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Inquiry, What Happen to Subway?

subway-logoIt would seem that Downtown Rocky Mount last one of first business that open during the Dedication of the New Douglas Block. Yes Subway is no longer there. I guess they couldn’t make a go of it there..

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Notice a new door to door scam in Rocky Mount

If someone comes to your door "claiming" to be raising money for COOPERS FIRE DEPARTMENT Do NOT give him money. COOPERS is not raising money going door to door. Suspect is a male (can't give race or features as we will be called racist) driving a vehicle (can't give you the color or kind of that either because someone will call us being discriminatory).

From a facebook group

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Staged Reading of “Out in Left Field”

The Nash County Art Council will host a Staged reading of Out in the left field, by Marilynn Anselmi on Saturday March 29, at 7 pm. A suggested donations of $5 dollars goes to fund scholarships for the area youth. The public is invited to this event. So come on out and bring the family..

The Nash County Art Council is located at 100 E Washington St, Nashville, NC

Rocky Mount P-Flag to Meet this Tuesday the 18th.

The Local Chapter of P-Flag will hold it monthly meeting this Tuesday the 18 at 6 pm. The Meeting will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship building located at 516 N Church St.

The meeting will have a guest speaker from Equality NC, yes their communications Director Jen Jones. So if  you have nothing to do this Tuesday come on down to hear her speak.

Yes this is a bit of short notice.. but it will be a great meeting..

Friday, February 14, 2014

Someone in the RMT PD office have their thinking cap on..

small yellow signIt would seem that RMPD has decide to get those car thieves once and for all. Yes, and they have a plan. Which has been used in other cities across the US. What is it, and will it really work?

It would seem that RMPD will start using Bait Cars.. Yes Bait Cars to catch those car thieves.

Now you ask what is a Bait Car, here is the 411 on that.

A bait car, also called a hot car, is a vehicle used by law enforcement agencies to capture car thieves. The vehicles are modified, with features including GPS tracking and audio/video surveillance technology, and can be remotely monitored and controlled. A "kill switch" may be installed in the vehicle allowing police to remotely disable the engine and lock all doors from the inside, preventing escape.

The bait car, often filled with valuable items to draw attention to it, is parked in a high auto-theft area. In some cases, the vehicle may be simply left unlocked with the keys in the ignition. When the car is stolen, officers are immediately alerted, and can monitor the vehicle and send commands to control it such as disabling the engine, locking the doors or honking the horn. Live audio/video streaming devices may be installed allowing law enforcement personnel to determine how many suspects are in the car, what they are planning and if they are armed.

I hope this will work, but they (RMPD) need to go after some the car salvage yards owner too. There are a few in and near the City limits, who will take the car as junk and pay the person with out the person having a title or showing ID. Which is against the law, but these owners don’t care, cause the cops never charge them. Even after finding stolen cars and trucks on their lots

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Does Rocky Mount need to do something about the Crime in the City?

In Yesterday column of Speak up of the Rocky Mount Telegram so posted that it was so embarrassing to see the crime in certain area of the city. While the others are spending so much time talking about het propose Event Center.  

In the comment section race was attacked and that Knight and his people are to busy trying to establish a strong hold on the city affairs.

Early this week the City of Rocky Mount PD held “coffee with a cop.” Where citizens can have a frank decision about crime and other issues while drinking coffee at a local Hardee’s restaurant.

One reason why the crime is high in the city is that most of the officers turn a blind eye to crime. O, I know many will claim they don’t but I know this for a fact, I have seen myself.

The PD will profile and harass the young black men on the local street corner, but they won’t stop and question a man walking down the middle of Cokey road with a shopping cart with a 1 ton heating and cooling unit, a fireplace mantle, or a stainless steel kitchen sink. I call these men the home un-improvement crew.

These folks break into empty homes and clean them out, of any and everything they can, including copper pipes and wiring. Why doesn’t the RMPD stop and question these folks??

Monday, February 10, 2014

Why Doesn’t the City Council reply to email?

mailI sent an email to all City Council members concerning the Event Center I have yet to date receive any response. I have to wonder did my email get label as spam or is the council member just think it not their job to respond? 

Local Citizen says we need more Homeless Shelters than a Event Center

There continues to be all this controversy in the paper about this new project they are wanting to do in Rocky Mount in reference to the event center and the money it is going to cost.

Rocky Mount needs more shelters for the homeless.

We have a lot of people who are homeless.

The city should realign its focus to help the people in our community and not place any additional expenses on an event center that is not going to be used.

So doe this person have a point? Does Rocky Mount need more shelters to help end the homeless issue in our city.

How about taking that money and use it  to get more large industries to set up shop in our city. Over the last few decades RMT has lost many large companies, Hardees Corp offices, Fast Food Merchandising and Barcalounger Manufacturing Company.

One of the main reason why they left Rocky Mount was the high cost of Utilities..

It seem the only business that are setting up shop in RMT these day are  gas stations and fast-food shops.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

More land to be taken by Rocky Mount Council via Code Enforcement

a. 657 Beaman Street
b. 1605 Cherry Street
c. 1309 Cokey Road
d. 424 N. Discovery Street
e. 1564 Fountain Street
f. 1114 Hargrove Street
g. 622 Henry Street
h. 328 Kingston Avenue
i. 408 Mitchell Street
j. 726 Nashville Road
k. 234 Park Avenue
l. 740 Pender Street (Garage Only)
m. 513 E. Thomas Street
n. 608 South Tillery Street
o. 817 Tyan Street
p. 905/907 S. Washington Street (AKA 205 Hendricks Street)

The city has no money , but they do when a structure need to be torn down, they when the property owner can’t pay the city back they take the property.. 

Where is the Event Center to be Built?

In the city's proposal, they stated the surveyor noted 5 places where the event center could be built, but gave US no indication of what area.

A small community is searching these locations out, they think they might have found three location so far.

North_Church_Street,_Rocky_Mount,_NC_-_Google_Maps_-_2014-02-09_17.17.33First one is North Church Street, Rocky Mount, NC, right beside the New Sport Center, (aka the old airport) this would make a great fit..

 

 

800_East_Virginia_Avenue,_Rocky_Mount,_NC_-_Google_Maps_-_2014-02-09_17.15.56Second one is at 800 East Virginia Avenue, Rocky Mount, NC, now this one is problematic since this a park with a King Memorial in the center of it.

 

 

English_Road,_Rocky_Mount,_NC_-_Google_Maps_-_2014-02-09_17.13.34Third is English Road, Rocky Mount, NC right across Nash General Hospital off of Winstead Ave. which was recently widen by NCDOT.

 

 

Do you know of two more location??

35.943522,-77.789449_-_Google_Maps_-_2014-02-09_17.33.45I know of one..  this is right next-door to the recently public-private redevelopment project area known as the Douglas Block..

 

 

35.943522,-77.789449_-_Google_Maps_-_2014-02-09_17.36.52Could this be the future home of the Event Center??

Two Facebook Pages you need to follow if you live in Rocky Mount, NC

1510984_640487052679468_2027144310_nsee Facebook page here,

 

 

 

 

540748_720238214667514_1972969850_n

see Facebook page here,

Greater Joy Baptist Church to host G.A.N.G (guiding a non-violent generation awareness summit)

Greater Joy Baptist Church, in conjunction with Word Tabernacle Church, the City of Rocky Mount Police Department, God in My City and the NAACP will host a G.A.N.G. (Guiding a Non-Violent Generation) Awareness Summit.

According to Bishop Shelton C. Daniel, senior pastor for Greater Joy Baptist Church, the summit will provide an opportunity for the Rocky Mount Police Department to give citizens information relative to gangs.

“We are trying to take systematic approaches to combat some of the violence going on in our city. The Rocky Mount Police Department will do a complete seminar as to what to look for in relation to gangs, and will provide some solutions to the problem,” says Daniel. “We are specifically targeting ages 6 to 10 because according to the statistical data, that’s the age group gang members are also targeting.”

Greater Joy Baptist Church is located at 322 Anderson Street in Rocky Mount, N.C. For more information on the summit, call 252-442-0958.

FB event notice page here.

Rumors has it that Andre Knight might profit from the Event Center.

in a comment left on a story on Dailyhaymaker, a commenter levy the following,

Andre Knight continues use racist tactics to intimidate anyone who opposes him much the same way Barber does. Rumors are that Knight and a partner are buying up properties where the proposed “event center” will be built. He also does not live in the ward that he represents. This was brought to light a few years ago and even though it was proven that he did not live in his “bachelor pad” nothing was ever done to remove him. He and his cronies are the main reason Rocky Mount will never recover and grow no matter how much money they throw away down town. Who wants to go any where down there if you have to fear for your life every time you get out of your car.

If this is true then there is clear conflict of interest here.

Locals voice their concerns about the potential event center funding.

A new group called the Community Council has formed in Rocky Mount, which is focusing on the City’s plan to build a Event Center somewhere downtown. The group recently held it first (no media allowed) meeting this pass Wednesday (2/5) at the Braswell Library.

The topic was the Event Center cost and taxes.

Residents questioning the wisdom of building an event center in Rocky Mount are raising concerns that city officials will have to raise property taxes to cover its costs.

They said they are worried that possible other funding sources identified by a consulting firm would not generate anywhere near enough dollars to cover the annual debt and operating costs of the center.

And they said some of the potential funding options outlined in a report to the city by AECOM Technical Services out of Chicago aren’t feasible, or would require approvals from elected officials that aren’t likely. (Source: Read more)

A local Citizen had this to say,

meeting at the Library on Wednesday. Skip Carney secretary of the group was on FM 99.3 Thursday morning and he said the media was not invited. I called in and said although the media was not invited they could have attended. However anyone, don't have to be media, can record meetings held in a public facility and they are backed by The Open Meetings Law Statue.

I find it quite interesting this paper and WHIG-TV has not reported on the Wednesday's meeting. So what is going on? Is the group receiving special privilege? I know they can get it from WHIG-TV, but is it the case with this paper?

Since The Community Council said they wanted to educate the citizens, why did they not invite the media? Well my ignant opinion is they didn't want to expose who attended the meeting and didn't want to share what they talked about. SMDH!

He is correct members of media could have attended and took notes the old school way, pad and pen. After all the meeting was open to the public.  I guess today media don’t know how to do it “old school”, they are lost without their digital records and video cameras.

Now another person is also correct in there assessment of the Event Center,

If the event center is such a great idea, why hasn’t some private investor built one in Rocky Mount?

After all, we do have U.S. 64 and I-95.

Obviously it is not a good investment so there is not one private investor interested.

Why build an event center here?

So, is the Event Center a great ideal or just a waste of time and money?

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Rep Jeff Collins seeks 3rd Term

@TheWilsonTimes: State Rep. Jeff Collins seeks 3rd - and likely last - term: http://t.co/abxvv9hL1u #ncpol #ncga #ncgop @RepJeffCollins @NCGOP #RockyMountNC

Original Message:
http://twitter.com/TheWilsonTimes/status/430202201173004288

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RMT State of the City Address

Rocky Mount Mayor David Combs will deliver the third annual State of the City Address, Mon., Feb.. 10, 2014 at 7 p.m. in the third floor George P. Dudley City Council Chamber of the Frederick E. Turnage Municipal Building (City Hall). The public is invited to attend.

Do we really need this, anyone who lives in Rocky Mount, NC knows how the city is doing,, it was once on the Rise, not it has flat lined..

Sunday, February 2, 2014

NCHouse Jeff Collins seek 3rd term

@TheWilsonTimes: State Rep. Jeff Collins seeks 3rd - and likely last - term: http://t.co/abxvv9hL1u #ncpol #ncga #ncgop @RepJeffCollins @NCGOP #RockyMountNC

Original Message:
http://twitter.com/TheWilsonTimes/status/430202201173004288

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http://ow.ly/7trFE


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Community Council–Organizational Meeting

1525106_709122065788733_1739770942_n

Braswell Memorial Library – Warner Meeting Room
727 N Grace St
Rocky Mount, NC 27804

February 5, 2013 at 5:30pm

Please join us for an informational meeting regarding the Community Council.  Learn more about our purpose and mission.  Opportunity to suggest future research and opportunity to volunteer.

Click here for a calendar link.

Facebook RSVP or Email RSVP to  info@TheCommunityCouncil

Please Like us on Facebook  -  http://www.facebook.com/TheCommunityCouncil.org

Please note the room cannot exceed 85 people and no press allowed.

Andre Knight hinted at the Location of the Event Center.

I hardly ever agree with the Civitas Group, but in this case I do.

from Civitas,

A previous Civitas blog post reported that Rocky Mount City Councilman and Witness Wednesday arrestee Andre Knight made comments which could easily be interpreted as calling a community leader a racist. This happened when that community leader was presenting a petition for the City of Rocky Mount to have a public hearing on whether or not the city should build a proposed Event Center downtown. Wait a minute there is more to the story.

In the meeting, which took place Jan. 13, there was a proposal put forth to approve $67,430 to include a study that would be run by Visions Inc. Senator Angela Bryant (D- Nash) runs this organization, and Rocky Mount City Councilman Lamont Wiggins is on the board. The Rocky Mount Telegram reported that “(t)he intent of the plan was to assist the city in recognizing the importance of a diverse workforce reflective of the community as much as possible allowing the city to better understand and respond to citizens,” said Assistant City Manager Ann Wall in a memorandum to City Manager Charles Penny. “The intent of the plan was also to establish a workplace which values employees and encourages their development.” The study was approved that night, since September of 2012 the City of Rocky Mount will have spent $413,220 just on studies for the City and for building of the proposed $43.6 million Event Center. Citizens in the community are beginning to become upset that the city is spending the taxpayers’ money not only to help a local Senator and City Councilman but to also build an Event Center that is of questionable value.

Another thing to look at about the Visions study that was approved was the fact that it passed the City Council with a voice vote. Some said “Aye”, no one said “No”, and no one recused themselves. If LaMont Wiggins is on the board for Visions Inc. wouldn’t it be a conflict of interest for him to vote on the approval of the study?

The City Council going by Civitas Is creating revenue from themselves and to hell with the Citizens of Rocky Mount.

In the Video Knight claims that Daughtridge’s biggest complaint is where the center will be built. Yet I have been told no location has be decide or approve yet. I guess once again the citizens of RMT will be the last to know.

Many of the citizens of RMT are upset about this spending for studies after studies for an Event Center which may or may not be in the best interest of the City. The group doing the studies have a clear cut conflict of interest, since one of it board members is also on the City Council.

Is this citizen correct,

justelladatruth says:

If you have to have that many "studies" done to see if it makes sense to go with the "event center" it's probably not a good idea. These people are just lining their pockets with money. They know exactly what they're doing. Somebody needs to stand up to these crooks and stop this crap. It's nothing but BS politics. The money put into the "event center" will never be recouped. Do the math! There is no way Rocky Mount will ever get a return on this. People on the board should not have any personal interest in these decisions. Andre Knight is the biggest racist around, so both black & white need to look at the whole picture here.