For weeks, much of the public discussion surrounding Ward 1 has centered on personalities. Some defend Councilman Andre Knight passionately. Others criticize him just as passionately. Social media has done what social media often does, reducing a complicated civic question into opposing camps. The issue is not whether a councilman is liked. The issue is … Continue reading After Twenty-Three Years, What Does the Ward 1 Garden Look Like? →

Every Council Member Governs the Whole City Recently, some readers have asked me to explain more fully why I favor returning Rocky Mount to a citywide voting system for City Council elections. First, let me acknowledge the argument on the other side. Ward-based elections were created to ensure that every part of Rocky Mount had … Continue reading Why Rocky Mount Should Return to Citywide Elections →

I have been writing about Rocky Mount on my blog, Mainstreetrockymount.com since 2015. About its history, its architecture, its people, its challenges, and its possibilities. During that time, I have seen countless attempts to engage citizens through speeches, editorials, council meetings, statistics, and social media debates. Then along comes The True Rocky Mount and something entirely new … Continue reading The True Rocky Mount Facebook Videos Have Created Something Fresh Innovative, Impossible to Ignore →

Among all the personalities I have encountered in my Passwords project, no one has impressed me more than George C. Marshall. Perhaps that is because Marshall was not the kind of leader who dominates headlines today. He was not loud. He was not theatrical. He did not seek attention. He never built a following around … Continue reading Temporary Setbacks Need Not Become Permanent Conditions in Rocky Mount →

I wrote about this idea a while back but as a gymnasts might say, I must not have stuck the landing. No one said, "Now that's brilliant." I thought I'd try it again. I can't put away the thought that it is unrealistic to think we can fix this financial crisis with those who created … Continue reading If I Were Mayor For A Day, I Would Start Here….. →