This video is from 2007 which shows Sheriff BJ Barnes interviewing Rocky Scarfone. Click below or click on the title above.Below is what was on the page for the Sheriff's Beat online blog. Would Chief Tim Bellamy have a sit down interview with Rocky Scarfone or would it be an interrogation?
The sidewalk issue can be solved by letting it lasts till midnight Monday through Sunday and allow it to start at 6:00 am. in the morning for the coffee crowd. Loitering is a problem but probably starts after midnight and heats up when bars close. It was interesting to see Greensboro City Council member Trudy Wade want the Guilford County Sheriff's Department help out the Greensboro Police Department on heavy nights at the Greensboro City council meeting on August 4th 2008. Note to Dr. Wade you are a city council member not a county commissioner.
UPDATE: 8-5-10 It seems like the video below has been taken off of the Sheriff's web site and taken down sorry for the link that is not there anymore , but wanted to let everyone know this.
Guilford County Blogs Sheriff’s Beat Online Blog » Blog Archive » SHERIFF’S BEAT TELEVISION SHOW V10E12 - Been Downtown Lately?
SHERIFF’S BEAT TELEVISION SHOW V10E12 -
Been Downtown Lately?
Sheriff Barnes welcomes to the show Rocky Scarfone, a downtown Greensboro business owner. Rocky acquired the N Club and the Red Room within the last year, and the club Much a few weeks ago. He has established a relationship with the House of Blues national chain, and has been working to bring national music artists to Greensboro. Sheriff Barnes and Mr. Scarfone think aloud on Greensboro night life.
What’s changed during the last few years in downtown Greensboro?
Why come to the downtown area?
Why should a city care about nightlife?
What national artists have played here recently?
How are national acts booked?
What changes will downtown see in the next couple of years?
How does Greensboro compare to other cities?
What can be learned by comparing downtowns to airports?
What role does politics have to do with any of this?
4 comments:
Sidewalk dining as practiced in Greensboro presents 2 problems the first being public safety issues and the second being that allowing "restaurants" to tie up city owned sidewalks is a form of corporate welfare as the taxpayers must foot the bill for the construction and repairs of these sidewalks.
If Scarfone or other Greensboro business owners want to own outdoor restaurants then they should be forced to own or lease the property they do business on.
After all, if you or I try to conduct business on city owned property we will be punished.
Thanks billy, i think i was trying to have a happy medium to this issue with the main one being safety late at night. I do agree that they don't own the property like other businesses do in using outdoor seating like Natty Greenes does.
Maybe they could also charge a sidewalk fee for using government property. That could be a option. If safety is a problem then they need a storage place to handle the extra tables outside. Don't leave the tables , chairs, and poles as objects to use in a fight if there was ever one at that sight.
Thanks for posting the video with BJ Barnes was interesting.
Personally, I find the whole issue of "Loitering" downtown bullsh*t.
A drunk or addict harassing someone for money is one thing, but people just "hanging out" and taking in the crowd and the atmosphere is something different altogether. This is what truly makes a downtown.
Maybe because some people in Greensboro have never been anywhere, but a main part of "The Downtown Experience" in almost all cities is "hanging out." Just like it used to be for teens decades ago to "hang out" at the mall. To do that nowadays (especially @ 4 Seasons Mall) is almost criminal.
If I had my way, I would have some street performers (be it jugglers, mimes, artists, musicians, street preachers, etc...) all along "the strip" Downtown. In fact, the last time I was down there (a couple of weeks ago), you did had some street preachers doing their thing, whether you agreed with them or not.
I remember there was an attempt to pass some ludicrous law awhile back stating that if people weren't patronizing any of the stores, restaurants, or clubs downtown, they would be fined. This was supported by many of the downtown owners, which just goes to show how greedy some people can be. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed and it didn't pass. It would have slaughtered Downtown.
Downtown is a delicate situation that should be dealt w/ intelligently. Notice all of the "For Rent" signs that are popping up downtown? The building owners are pricing themselves out of some good money that they could be making if they would just be reasonable with the rent. That could kill Downtown just as quick.
Just my 2 cents...
ken b thanks for your 2 cents, I remember back in the day when all the teens went to the depot to party. It was a lot of fun.
Maybe since they are redoing the sidewalks on wendover avenue we can get the preachers who are in front of tk tripps and wendy's to preach downtown. Just a suggestion for downtown entertainers or have our own rendition of the Naked Cowboy Greensboro style. Thanks for posting
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