Ford Craven, GREEN ECOBROKER

Just in time for the holidays! Concord City Council just approved a neighborhood matching grant program to help complete neighborhood projects. This program is open to neighborhoods recognized through the City's formal neighborhood program. Approved neighborhoods can be found at:

http://www.ci.concord.nc.us/Departments/BusinessNeighborhood/NeighborhoodProgram/Neighborhoods/tabid/224/Default.aspx

This is the text from the City:

Consider Neighborhood Matching Grant Program.
Council approved matching grants that allow recognized neighborhoods in the City of Concord Neighborhood Program to complete projects that will enhance their community or neighborhood association. Neighborhood organizations must match these funds with cash, in-kind services or goods, or contribute volunteer time. This program is available to active neighborhood organizations recognized through the City's formal neighborhood program.

Humpy Wheeler, president of Lowes Motor Speedway for the past 33 years, will be honored during the Concord Christmas Parade. WHAT! Humpy isn't even from Concord. It used to be local legends that made up the Grand Marshal. Truly respected and active citizens from around town. Ones you see eating breakfast with the boys at the same joint every Wednesday morning or eating church hot dogs on Fridays for lunch. This feels like just another ass kiss from Concord to the Speedway. We already added the Bruton Smith Blvd name to the already named Speedway Blvd. and Concord Mills Blvd. 3 names for one street just to please an ego, come on. And now one of our towns most secretly treasured spots is being outsourced to a speedway big wig, no doubt because Concord and Bruton are at odds with their payment schedule to Bruton and the economy making payment terms that much hard to figure out. So lets be sure and keep Brutons friends happy so he doesn't punish us right? How about Donnie Whittington for grand marshal who is finishing up 50 years of coaching football at the Boys and Girls Club or Jeff Gordon for lending his name and money to build a Children's Hospital?

Looks like A.L. BROWN, Kannapolis High School, is being showcased as a 21st Century Model of Innovation! (I know a lot of Concord High School Spiders that would disagree!)


Its is being showcased due to some up and coming programs such as: Mandarin Chinese, Biotechnology, Cyber Campus, Smartboards, International Studies.

These are definetly step ups in the highschool arena. And with the new North Carolina Research Campus and BioTechnology Center right in A.L. Browns backyard these programs are sure to be appreciated!

Below is a blurb from the wesbite:

Tuesday, November 18 is North Carolina School Innovation Day, and A.L. Brown High School is one of the sites being highlighted. A.L. Brown will be open to all visitors November 18 from 10 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. No appointment is needed. Just drop by to see the home of the North Carolina Principal of the Year and the school that won the NC Lighthouse Award for excellence and innovation.


http://ebiz1.exfoundry1.com/members/response.asp?ID=9115457643103195

I was driving into Kannapolis this morning and saw a billboard. It was an ad for www.2shoplocal.com for Cabarrus County. So I jotted it and just looked it up. It looks to be a collaborative effort put up by 3 banks. It has sites for Stanly, Anson and Cabarrrus Counties, which I assume are the counties in which these banks serve. I would consider this a green movement. And I am all for it! I love to see companies embrace this concept and promote it! www.shoplocal.com is a good idea and everyone should shop local this holiday season if you can. It cuts down on so much waste: packaging, transportation, supports the local economy, etc. I just submitted an email for my company to be included on this site. If you are in Cabarrus County, Anson or Stanley you should do this too!

Just got word that a new restaurant slated to open on Valentines Day 2009 in Downtown Concord will be named the Prince and the Pauper. It will be located in the old Cabarrus Bank building across the street and to the right from the Historic Courthouse. It will be continental fare in a fine dining atmosphere. The rumor also is that there will be a bar in the basement (hopeully Irish or English in nature!)

There are also 6 residential condos above the reastaurant that will be available. Things are looking up for Downtown Concord! Literally!