Raleigh

Community-focused posts

There are 773 posts filed in Raleigh (this is page 58 of 78).

Probation series

MT.Net readers know I like to take swipes at the News and Observer, but I have to applaud the paper for spotlighting the state’s broken probationary system. Far too many convicted criminals go back to their criminal ways upon leaving prison. While probation officers can’t turn those ex-prisoners into saints, they can at least keep tabs on them – information that might prevent the next crime.

I hope the attention the probation system is getting spurs our legislators to fix it. Thanks, N&O, for spreading the word!

Jackpot on school reassignments

Kelly and I danced with glee when we discovered this morning that Wake County School System’s proposed reassignment will have the kids going to nearby Enloe High School rather than across town to Leesville High. Its nothing against Leesville itself, of course. Its just that the distance to travel to and from Leeesville would cut considerably into the kids’ free time.

Enloe is an award-winning high school roughly a mile away. It is ranked by Newsweek as one of the top 100 high schools in the country. And Ligon Middle School is a fantastic school as well. We’re all very excited about the proposed changes.

If all that wasn’t enough to cheer about, the reassignment webserver runs Linux! Too cool.

A Raleigh ambassador

I was out taking my downtown lunchtime walk when I passed the Marriott hotel. Looking inside, I was amazed to see every table occupied at my neighbor Gianni’s restaurant. The AASHE conference (aashe2008) is in town and business is obviously good!

With the Posta restaurant full, some hungry conference attendees spilled out onto the sidewalk. They were discussing lunch options as I walked by. What the heck, I thought, why not give them some advice?

I walked back to the group and introduced myself to a Canadian man and a woman from Maine. Then I walked with them to a few other downtown restaurants, chatting as we went.

Call me a boy scout, but I sure do love showing off this city.

Chalkman

On my walk around downtown yesterday I found a message on the sidewalk on the east side of the Capitol. Written in neat pink chalk were the words “Hi from Chalkman.” A smaller “good morning” was written on the northern sidewalk, too.

I look forward to more messages from Chalkman, whoever he is.

Still celebrating

On the way in to work I heard a car horn and turned to see a jubliant African-American woman spontaneously shouting “Obama! Obama!” through her open windows. I couldn’t help but laugh.

What an amazing night.

Post-election poll-worker props

No matter which candidates you supported in yesterday’s elections, I think you’ll agree that the Wake County Board of Elections did an outstanding job managing the election. Early voting was super-easy and wildly successful, voting machines worked well, ballots were easy to understand and counted fairly, and poll workers knew their jobs and performed those jobs efficiently. Rarely did I see anyone waiting more than 5 to 10 minutes at the polling places I visited. Even the Board of Election’s post-election results webpages, farmed out to SOE Software, easily handled the load.

Managing a presidential election is a mammoth project but from what I can see Wake County pulled it off flawlessly. Kudos to all the poll workers who put in long hours to make voting so effortless!

Posta Tuscan Grille

On my daily downtown walk, I popped into the Posta Tuscan Grille restaurant, located in the downtown Marriott at the south end of Fayetteville Street. I wanted to say hello to my neighbor, Gianni Betti, who is the chef there. Gianni greeted me with a smile as I walked in and then gave me a tour of his beautiful restaurant.

And an amazing restaurant it is: colorful, festive dining rooms; beautiful wood floors; and a large, well-stocked bar. The lunch menu at Posta’s is also affordable, making it a good spot for meetings. Not to mention the free wireless Internet available in the bar area.

Gianni laughed when he told me how he had to get used to the breakfast menus here as in Italy breakfast is a cappuccino and a pastry. Posta does serve a full Marriott-style breakfast buffet, however.

While one might think being at the end of Fayetteville Street might be lonely, Gianni says he gets a sizeable crowd from events at Memorial Auditorium: before and after plays, symphonies, ballets and the like. It seems like the perfect location for a classy Italian restaurant, with few nearby competitors (the Wilmington Street McDonald’s doesn’t count).

I love Italian food and Posta Tuscan Grille is certainly authentic. If you’re downtown and looking for a great Italian meal or simply looking to bide your time before a show, stop by the Posta Tuscan Grille. And tell ’em MT.Net sent ya!

North Raleigh bank robbery

Says here that a bank was robbed this morning at 9650 Falls of the Neuse. The getaway vehicle was parked in my old Windsor Forest neighborhood on a street called Grassington Way behind our former home.

Little did the suspect know but at least two Raleigh police officers live on Grassington Way, one on either end. That might be why the robber was arrested an hour after the holdup. It also takes at least 20 minutes to walk from the bank to the car, and that walk is in plain view along busy Durant Road.

Life in the big city

I was almost done with a brisk walk up and down Fayetteville Street when I walked past the corner CVS. Some guy was sitting on the ground outside the store as a cop was pulling a pack of pilfered candy bars out of the guy’s hoodie pocket. He was being cuffed just as a patrol car was pulling up.

And people wonder why there isn’t more retail downtown. At least that guy won’t be spending a freezing night on the streets.