Our own Roanoke City Council, represented at the press conference by Gwen and Nelson, have decided that the city should invest more in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Insert joke here.
Actually, this is not an idea that I am totally against. Back in NY, most of the public transit busses are now CNG powered. No real difference in ride or style - reliability runs about the same from what I could tell. I wonder if Valley Metro's next fleet upgrade might be to CNG power? Wouldn't be the worst idea.
That being said, this Greenhouse gas issue, as dubious as the science may be - is hardly important enough to make a huge difference in the lives of Roanoke's citizens.
But meanwhile, in another Roanoke....
Roanoke Rapids, NC - Six months before it is set to open, the Carolina Crossroads complex already is affecting the economy of Roanoke Rapids.
Construction on the nearly $22 million project is creating about 3,000 jobs. Once the complex is running, 3,100 jobs are expected.
Crews have completed the structure of the Randy Parton Theater, which will anchor the musical entertainment development, and are now working on exterior finishes and the interior.
The theater will reflect Parton's talent for design, from the layout of the 1,200-seat auditorium to lighting and sound to a mechanical stage, said Bill Corey, superintendent of the project for J.S. Clark Construction Co.
"Entertainers get on it, then come up to the stage level," he said.
Roanoke Rapids is financing construction of the Randy Parton Theater -- it's the first private project in North Carolina funded with taxpayer money. Parton will make lease payments to the city of about $500,000 a year until the theater is paid off.
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THAT my friends is something to crow about in a press conference. And yes, it is just off I-95, the coastal version of I-81, only with more bad drivers (and yes, it is possible).
They have the drive, the vision, and the intellegence to build such a thing. The imagination to realize its value to the community, and the bravery to go ahead with a bold plan.
But hey, were going to fight greenhouse gasses!
Is that a fiddle I hear?
4 comments:
private projects should not be funded by taxpayer money. hence the word, private indicating not public which ususally indicates that the public is not paying for it.
the article sounds more like an ad for trickle down econ...which doesn't work en masse.
Is there any difference between a publically-funded Randy Parton museum and a privately-funded arts museum?
Not that I necessarily like the art museum, I just don't see how the Parton thing is something to brag about.
So I guess a tradeoff between 22 million public dollars and 3,100 jobs is a bad thing? Better to keep the money for the city, not have a boost to the economy I guess.
Well, it's intended to distract you from the vaporware "site redesign".
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