No LTEs to today just Hanes Park and Reynolds Stadium.
The Sum It Up question from Sunday was: Does Reynolds High School need a new stadium?
Reynolds High School has a stadium. What Winston-Salem does not need is a football stadium in Hanes Park.
ELEN KNOTT
Reynolds needs a new stadium because it will give the students something to call their own and a place for family and friends to enjoy a true home game.
STEPHEN GREENE
The location in a stable, developed neighborhood and bordering a central urban park is of concern.
MARY B. HOWARD
Reynolds needs its own stadium. I love Hanes Park and I think the stadium will only make it better.
JOELL SCANLON
No. Need is not a valid argument for approval of the proposed stadium.
JAN KREBS
No, they don’t need a new stadium and especially at the cost of Hanes Park.
ERI SCHEIPERS
This is really about putting it at Hanes Park.
LAWRENCE KNIGHT
No. Well, maybe yes, but not in the middle of Hanes Park. It would be a traffic and ecological nightmare.
NANCY STREBLOW
I feel strongly that Reynolds should have a stadium of its own. This can be for graduation, also. Track and field events can be held there as well as lacrosse and field hockey and soccer.
CHUCK HARRIS
Yes. I am in favor of the new stadium proposal.
TANYA GUNTER
A large, modern stadium built in Hanes Park would be unfair to the area neighborhoods and to those who use the park. It would not be a good use of the park property.
It’s not just a question of the stadium, it’s a question of damage to Hanes Park. It is too close.
AMANDA RATHER
Yes. Marching bands should be able to march to their stadium, not road trip.
FRANK JOHNSON
I don’t believe the question addresses the real controversy, which is the location.
LANGDON OPPERMANN
As a former Reynolds student-athlete and in the most recent graduating class, yes, R.J. Reynolds needs a stadium.
ANDY TEASDALL
Yes! Reynolds deserves a stadium.
MANDY WOLFERT
Yes! The stadium would be a wonderful addition to our West End neighborhood and would provide an adequate facility for the children to enjoy for years to come.
Whether Reynolds High School needs a new stadium is debatable. What is not debatable is that the location currently under consideration (Hanes Park) is a terrible choice for numerous reasons.
ANN URBAN
Yes, Reynolds High School needs a stadium. Thank you for letting us voice this opinion.
JANET WHITLEY
Reynolds may want a new stadium, but it does not need one that creates significant problems for Hanes Park and surrounding neighborhoods.
LAURA PHILLIPS
No, put the money back into education. Students will get more out of it that way.
WILLIAM SAMS
Reynolds High School does not need a new facility. Hanes Park is a gem that benefits all the people of Winston-Salem, year round, not a small fraction of people for six nights a year.
HILLARY PIERCE
Yes.
JACK WHITE
Given the struggles our public schools face today, it is hard to imagine why anyone would devote scare resources to a stadium for Reynolds High School. Don’t we have enough real problems?
A more relevant question: Should a 4,500-seat stadium be built adjoining Hanes Park? No! That’s what this controversy is about. Why obscure the real issue?
DAVID AND C.C. WINSLOW
Yes, but why not put the stadium on land the city owns due east of the student parking lot that adjoins Reynolda Road just north of the railroad tracks?
FRANK SCISM
Yes, Reynolds High School needs a campus stadium and practice field.
RENCE CALLAHAN
Reynolds might need a stadium, but not in Hanes Park. It is a very ill-advised, high-consequence location.
JENNIFER SNOWHITE
No! If the booster club can raise that kind of money, then it should be put toward education — at Reynolds or, even better, at more needy schools. Sharing a stadium is a great use of resources.
KELLEY O’DONNELL
We need the R.J. Reynolds stadium! It would boost sales for the small businesses, boost community relations and provide a place for graduation. It would be a great addition.
BAILEY HOOTEN
Reynolds students have to travel to seven locations to play and practice as their home field. Students deserve a place to call home for the next generation and generations to come.
BRAD FISHER
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, R.J. REYNOLDS HIGH SCHOOL
We have plenty of evidence of a shortage of resources in our school system; for example, the layoffs of faculty and staff, children crowding into classrooms, and teachers having to buy classroom supplies. Should we be spending money on a stadium?
EVE RAPP
The quality of education is measured by academic performance. Until the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system’s academic performance is at or near the top in the state, we should not be spending millions on accessories such as a stadium. Good nutrition before jewelry.
STEVE RAPP
I think Reynolds High School deserves to have athletic facilities comparable to the other Forsyth County high schools. My three children graduated from R.J. Reynolds, and their experience would have been enhanced with this proposed facility.
C. LAURENCE ROBBS
As a parent of a child who will be entering Reynolds in the fall of 2015, I strongly feel it is time for this high school to have its own stadium near the campus that many students and families will be able to walk to.
No stadium for R.J. Reynolds. Such a perfect park. Such a perfect school. Nice and ageless. Classy. A park people use. Keep the tradition. Winston-Salem is a traditional town — progressive when needed, but traditional. No stadium. People use this park.
BETSY TRENT
Why should Reynolds High School not have what every other county high school has — a stadium — especially when built on existing land owned by the school, with money raised privately? This is a no-brainer!
SHANNON RAINEY
Really simple, a stadium rather than a park that has been the central focus point of downtown Winston-Salem for at least half a century: absolutely not! We have one park and more than enough stadiums.
BRANDI BICKFORD
I am not in favor of the proposed stadium at Hanes Park because of the existing lack of parking in the West End area. The city will not let a business open without adequate parking; how can it allow a stadium requiring a thousand parking spaces without also building a parking deck?
GEORGE STREBLOW
Yes! The “Save Hanes Park” point is invalid. Hanes Park itself will not be touched, and the stadium will be built on Reynolds’ property. It’s unfair that every other high school has a stadium of their own and Reynolds students have to drive out to a “home” field that is far from home.
GRACE CARTER
Yes. R.J. Reynolds High School needs a “home” stadium. Would anybody ask Mount Tabor High School to play soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and football at West Forsyth High School?
For the children, the current athletic facilities situation at the high school is stuck in the 1920s.
KIRK FRY
Reynolds High School may need a new football stadium, but not in Hanes Park. Why tear down centuries-old trees for a stadium, when there are plenty of run-down old factory buildings that can be destroyed just a couple blocks down the road?
ANNA MILLER
No. I like what an earlier letter-writer suggested about sprucing up the current stadium and using other raised funds for academics. Also, the West End and other residents who use Hanes Park don’t need more traffic and a looming, out-of-proportion structure.
We would like R.J. Reynolds High School to have its own football stadium. This historic school should not be punished because it is in a landlocked area with no room to develop. The land proposed for the stadium site is school land and separate from Hanes Park.
HARRY COOK
Yes. “For 89 years Reynolds High School has been without a stadium to call home.” Reynolds is the only high school in its conference that does not have a stadium on its campus. The proposed stadium will be located on its campus using existing school-system property and be funded by private donations. It is needed and will be a wonderful addition to the community.
JOAN HEALY
No, Reynolds High School does not need a new stadium, it needs its own stadium, which it currently does not have. Having to take buses to home games while using (and paying to maintain) game and practice fields at The Children’s Home and middle schools that are better suited for goat grazing than athletics is ridiculous!
BRIAN MYERS
This is not a fair question. Do I need a million dollars? A more fitting question is should a public green space and at least two neighborhood’s property values be wiped out for eight home games a year? High school students have a limited time to enjoy sports, but residents and businesses around Hanes Park will live with the consequences forever.
BETH BOSTIC
If only private money is to be spent on the proposed football stadium, I don’t care one way or the other. However, I oppose spending even one dime of public money on such a stadium until slashed academic education budgets are restored and teachers no longer feel the need to buy classroom supplies out of their own pockets.
JOHN B. STEWART SR.
No, we do not need a stadium. We need to use resources to educate all students before providing fancy stadiums for a few. Green space to run, play and appreciate nature in is part of a good education for all children and provides plenty of opportunity for physical activity and recreation.
I play field hockey and lacrosse for R.J. Reynolds and I think we absolutely need a new home field. I practice/play at four locations: The Children’s Home, Paisley High School, Bolton Elementary School and Deaton-Thompson Stadium. For a busy teenager, it is such a pain to drive everywhere. A new field would give Reynolds players and students a sense of pride and, most importantly, it would give us a home.
SARAH PHILLIPS ORR
A few people want a “home field advantage” for Reynolds athletics. A lot of people need a beautiful, spacious urban park to enjoy with their friends and families. This city can’t have both, not on the P.H. Hanes grant. Improve Deaton-Thompson Stadium, root for the Demons, but by all means save Hanes Park.
BILL GIBSON
It’s not a question of need but of what is deserved. Every other high school in Forsyth County enjoys such a facility close to their campuses, except Reynolds and Parkland. Those stadiums were all constructed with public funds. Allowing the Reynolds community to build its own venue would provide for both schools, thus allowing everyone in the county to finally have their own place to play. My answer is “yes.”
WENDY BOLING
Thousands of people, including many R.J. Reynolds parents and alumni, have signed a petition to oppose the building of this unnecessary stadium adjacent to the Hanes Park land that citizens utilize for exercise and relaxation. Destroying the character of a beloved park and surrounding historic neighborhoods is a lose-lose proposition and an “advantage” for no one. Expecting taxpayers to cover long-term operating and additional expenses for such a stadium would add insult to injury.
KATHLEEN M. RAMICH
The question is really less about need and more about does it make sense. It would render a beautiful park unusable for many current activities and be a financial and practical burden on the city/county at a time when we need to conserve our resources. It would also alter the character of the well-established neighborhoods surrounding Hanes Park. Find a new location with adequate existing parking if you feel the need to build it and can operate it with private funds.
Yes! Reynolds High School deserves a stadium! It is the only school in this county that does not have a home field advantage. The only sports facility that Reynolds can call home is its gymnasium. I do not understand why the oldest high school in this county is being treated as if its students are outcasts!
Yes, yes, yes, Reynolds High needs a stadium.
MELISSA FISCH
Yes. I see nothing in the plans that damages the park or surrounding neighborhoods in any way. The real issue for those folks that live nearby and are the most vocal seems to be a fear of people parking in front of or near their homes. I think we can tolerate a little inconvenience for six home games a year in exchange for a stadium that the kids at Reynolds can be proud of on their own campus.
BRENT WHITE
Having gone to East Forsyth High School, where the stadium is next to the gymnasium, I understand the desire for a stadium nearby. But destroying the park will take a big chunk of the heart of our city.
There are industrial sites nearby; why can’t we see clear to improve those areas with a wonderful stadium (like the baseball stadium, perhaps)? Yes, it might take more resolve and more money, but there’s no real savings in putting it in Hanes Park if we consider the intangibles.
ROGER N. KIRKMAN
What if we changed the question from “Does Reynolds need a new stadium?” to “Does Reynolds need its own stadium, near its own campus, like most if not all other high schools in the county?” Yes! As a nearby resident, I would love to be able to walk or bike over and watch home soccer or lacrosse or football games with my family. It would be a great addition to the Hanes Park area.
KATHY McLEAN
Building a stadium in Hanes Park would diminish its usefulness to the wider community. Long has this park been a source of healthy activities, peaceful relaxation and urban beauty. The trees of Hanes Park have cleaned our air. The benches and paths have fostered friendships as well as meditation and inspiration.
All of these benefits have been available to us all, as was the purpose of the Hanes’ gift to the city. How shameful if, so soon after the death of Phil Hanes, this park should be desecrated by a few short-sighted and selfish people.
Yes! The students of the Reynolds community deserve to play at home without having to get in a car or on a bus. This is a way to demonstrate a community coming together to build something for our future leaders. It’s not about how many ways you can think to spend $6 million. It is about private fund-raising to support a project we believe will better the educational experience at our neighborhood school. Those who have ideas on how to spend other people’s money should start their own fund-raising efforts for their own cause.
RAY WORKMAN
Disregarding any impact to Hanes Park and the neighborhoods, one has to question the validity of spending so much money on a stadium at a time when the education system is under such extreme stress. It is tragic what is happening to school funding. It should be the quality of the teachers and academics that makes Reynolds High School great, not a new football stadium. Invest in the core educational mission and what ultimately matters to the entire student body and their future — and the future of Winston-Salem.
JOHN C. LARSON
Yes, Reynolds High School needs a stadium! Parkland also deserves a stadium, and when Reynolds can finally “bring it home,” Parkland will also have its own home-field advantage. Hanes Park, despite what people have been led to believe, will be fine. There is plenty of “green space” that already belongs to the city. A beautiful stadium designed by a local well-known and respected architect will enhance the surrounding area.
The present and future students of Reynolds High School deserve a stadium. This is long overdue!
LINDA R. HILL
Reynolds absolutely needs a new stadium. Here’s why:
It will address a long-standing inequity in the school system. The Reynolds football, field hockey, lacrosse and soccer teams have no home as it stands now.
School athletics are the most important and effective dropout prevention program we have.
Our field hockey team frequently can’t play a full varsity or J.V. game later in the season because the field at The Children’s Home has no lights.
The stadium is not being built in Hanes Park and can be built in an attractive way that enhances the park and provides enough parking for games.
Hanes Park was originally donated to the city with the understanding that it was to be used for athletic fields for Reynolds.
JOSHUA BRAGG
TEACHER, R.J. REYNOLDS HIGH SCHOOL
Does Reynolds High School need a new stadium? Absolutely! Reynolds is the oldest high school in the city and is an important part of our community. There is no reason why the school and its students should be denied any longer the same opportunity every other high school is given. A multi-sport facility on campus will eliminate the need for the school’s teams to travel far off campus for practices and games, will make it possible for more students to participate in athletics, and will build morale and unity among a very diverse student body.
I am writing in response as to why R.J. Reynolds High School needs a new football stadium.
The one it has been sharing needs replacing or repairing anyway.
It has been sharing the same stadium for quite a number of years, which hinders school pride.
Most of the school athletics are near Hanes Park, and this major sport for the school is across town.
As an R.J. Reynolds alumnus, I understand the value of Hanes Park, the school’s relation to it, and why the stadium means so much to so many.
Reynolds High School is one of the premier schools in this town, and I believe that the loyalty of its alumni will support the venture.
The building of the project and the stadium’s use should stir excitement and bring a boost to the local economy.
For the supporters of Hanes Park, this should only affect a small portion of the park, and change is inevitable.
TIM CHILDRESS
I understand and support the need of Reynolds to have a “home” field stadium. I have big problem with where some of the supporters want to put it.
Why is the land along Reynolda Road (owned by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County board of education and occupied by Reynolds) not being considered as the primary location site?
Do not tell me it is because it is in a flood plain. Design and architectural advances allow for construction of facilities on such land, accounting for the extremely rare occurrence of weather and natural disasters. Although this space is also wonderful green space, it is clearly not used, is underappreciated and poorly maintained (as in landscaping and access). There is no way the Northwest Boulevard site would be able to handle the traffic and crowds that would be attendant with such an arena. This Reynolda Road site possibly could be designed to fill the need and allow for all problems of the other site to be addressed. Just saying…
RANDALL E. SPRINKLE
I was born in Winston-Salem 62 years ago and have always loved the wonderful facilities at Hanes Park. When we were first married, we lived up the hill on Summit Street.
Whether or not Reynolds High School needs a new stadium is not the question to address. The first thing to state is that any stadium should not be placed within Hanes Park. The park is already crowded with many activities; a little peace and quiet needs to be retained.
Please do not let a stadium blight our beautiful Hanes Park.
No new stadium is needed; if built, it should not be adjoining Hanes Park.
I’m sure there are longstanding reasons other than money that a stadium was not built here sometime in the last 88 years. I would hope that folks who came into office supporting neighborhood schools would listen to neighborhood concerns. As a two-time R.J. Reynolds parent, I’d hate to see a place that values being “amidst the pines” make Hanes Park be “against the concrete” with this stadium.
ERIC ELLIOTT
No. Reynolds High School has a football stadium, one that taxpayers are already paying to maintain. At a time when governments are struggling to contain budgets and conserve resources, taking on the maintenance of a new stadium — even one constructed partly with private funds — is irresponsible. Now is not the time for a vanity project whose proponents seem to be willfully ignoring obvious issues with parking and potential issues with storm water due to the nature of the proposed site. And those of us who appreciate Hanes Park the way it is surely do not want to see it turned into a construction staging area with no guarantee that the park and creek will remain unchanged.
STACEY BAILEY PHARR
Reynolds High School does not need a new stadium in Hanes Park! A new stadium in another location might be nice (how about a brown-field redevelopment site?), but squashing a big stadium in an already congested area while sacrificing scarce green space is a bad idea. My two children have been involved in the terrific athletic program at Reynolds, and I attended football games at Bowman Gray stadium in the 1970s. We’ve had great team spirit for generations, happily sharing facilities for track/football/swimming/tennis/baseball/soccer/lacrosse/field hockey! Go, Demons!
SUZANNA WATKINS
If only I could summon $5 million-$7 million to address the pressing needs of our neighborhood schools: I would invest in rebuilding Brunson Elementary, support Wiley Middle’s state-mandated interventions to improve student achievement, pay teachers the salaries they deserve — but lump much-needed funds into an grandiose, over-sized stadium just to provide a more convenient location at the expense of Wiley and our downtown green space? No.
It is rarely debated that interscholastic sports activities promote citizenship and sportsmanship. They instill a sense of pride in community, teach lifelong lessons of teamwork and self-discipline and facilitate the physical and emotional development of our community’s youth. Construction of a home R.J. Reynolds High School stadium, on exiting school property, will only enhance the positive effect school-based sports has on the student body.
THEODORA SPARROW
Whether Reynolds High School deserves a new stadium is a school-board issue. Even if it tops the priority list, it should not be built in Hanes Park because:
It sacrifices a flexible resource serving many for a limited resource for a relative few.
It incorrectly presumes that Reynolds is a neighborhood school, drawing mostly from its nearby students.
It is the kind of change that is nearly impossible to undo when the mistake is recognized. Please think outside that box!
ELLEN S. YARBOROUGH
R.J. Reynolds High School desperately needs its own stadium on campus. As a mother of two Reynolds graduates and a current student, I have had to drive carpool to countless practices and games at the Deaton-Thompson Stadium. There were many times that I had to take other athletes who didn’t have access to a car, or whose parents worked and could not get them to the field. Having to provide transportation to home games is something that other schools do not have to address. This is a significant cost and inconvenience to the students, parents and coaches at our school. Having a stadium on campus would create a sports venue that would be accessible to all the Reynolds students, even those who lack transportation during the school day.
MELISSA WORKMAN
It seems a shame to allow a stadium to intrude on the open space of Hanes Park and to irreparably damage the character of the park and the surrounding communities. Once open space is gone, you never get it back.
The parking and traffic issues associated with the proposed stadium should be carefully considered, as already there is not enough parking for those using the park and the YMCA. The surrounding neighborhoods will bear the brunt of the additional parking and traffic, contributing to a decline in desirability of these areas (i.e. property values).
And let’s not forget that private funds will not cover the complete and ongoing costs associated with this stadium. Tax dollars will eventually be involved.
JESSICA SKIPPER
For more responses, go to www2.journalnow.com/list/opinion-letters/
While I understand that a NEW stadium is WANTED, there's a NEED to maintain educational infrastructure AND fairly compensate teachers for teaching our future teachers, lawyers, doctors, scientists, farmers, economists, leaders, etc. Collecting $50 per student at the beginning of the current school year isn't going to meet those NEEDS, yet SOMEHOW money has been found to build a new stadium? Things that make me go h-m-m-m...
It's SHAMEFUL that those who are saying that a NEW stadium is needed are NOT ALSO saying that quality education is needed.
The self-designated 'elite' high school people just don't want to drive over into the 'hood' anymore for football games. That's the bottom line.
But who can blame them, black criminals have long been 'targeting' and 'profiling' the white honkies from the Westside of town for years.
I think Hanes Park should be preserved as is. Back when I used to go over to the 'Y', before all the 'leering' and offensive behavior was initiated by gays in the bathroom/shower facilities, I used to use the track sometimes to check my running speed. I've also played on the tennis courts many times. It's a nice addition to the 'Y'.
It's too bad all the 'gays' ruined the wonderful athletic facilities at the 'Y' with their disturbing behavior. I'd like to rejoin, but it's just too uncomfortable to go there.
Clint Eastwood made the Republicans day last night by blasting an inept president named Barack Obama.
We used to call people that were do nothings in my job-empty suits. Clint borrowed from that theme by employing an empty chair to address an invisible Obama.
It was strangely appropriate as Obama has certain been 'empty' on good ideas for the last 4 years.
None of the Democratic 'dunces' are listening though. They're too 'smart' to have made a mistake in voting for Obama, remember?
Yep. RJR desperately needs/does not need a new stadium. We are/are not going to build a stadium at Hanes Park/not at Hanes Park. It will/will not ruin the park. There will/will not be adequate parking. It will/will not destroy property values.
Good, we never did like your type at the Y anyway. And that's just Bullshit, "all the gays." There ARE some creepy old men that like to sit around the steam room and leer, but most mind their own business. I ran a gym for 20 years and everyone knew I was gay. But the breeders there are a bit more sophisticated and not so ashamed and self conscious of their bodies. Even my friend, Ben Smith, the Navy Seal in Dishonorable Disclosures, never thought twice about being nude in front of me or vice versa, but then again you're no Navy Seal, you're more like a performing seal, urrht, urrht. No TV now in over a week
When I was competing Bucky, men leered at me all the time. If someone made me feel uncomfortable, I was man enough to say something to them politely and it stopped. You should just man up.
I realize that would be out of character for you and take you out of your comfort zone, but it's really not all that difficult. "Actions speak louder than words, just not as often." Mark Twain
The worst leerer I ever saw was Frank Fischer, the Rabbi at Duke. He and his wife, who was stunning, were clients of mine. He would go into a trance like leer. I had to speak to him several times about it. He was older and didn't even realize he was doing it.
yep, I have my computer set up in one of the Carriage Houses/Shop and am using my TV as a viewing screen. We have 4 goat kids just weeks old. Two have blue eyes. They are the cutest things hoppin' around the yard.
It's possible, but I had a physiological murmer since birth and the stenosis had already been diagnosed before my doctors put me on androgel. In 2004 I had a fever that reached 105 daily from July27 through September 12, I lost 55 lbs and looked like Yoda. FUO (fever of unknown origin). Never did discover the cause. I used androgel for 3 years after so it could have contributed. I never used steroids illegally, but one of my employees did, Bill Dunn. He was the strength and fitness coach at UVA for many years and competed in the World's Strongest Man contest. He was about 6'3" and 350 lbs and had his own 200lb dumbells, the only pair I've ever seen. Bill was Ralph Sampson's Trainer if you remember him.
Illegal steroids are big in some portions of the gay community. I know you like(d) to stay in shape that's why I asked. Sometimes, people take their vanity too far.
I am startled at the attention the proposed stadium is drawing. But, now I'm part of that attention as well:
I graduated from RJR HS. The last home game I attended until I started going to my stepson's Mt Tabor games was in 1968, a poor alumnus, I (oops, is that too Yoda-esque?). All the home games were at BG Stadium. We didn't think anything about that. We left school on FR PM, did one thing or another (I worked for a couple of hours), went home, ate supper, drove to the games. So, except for the football team itself, nonsense about walking from school to stadium is just that.
I believe that people have a right to spend their money legally as they please. So, if they wish to buy a little used structure for vanity, well and good, IF it is out in a sparsely populated area with reasonable traffic access. There is no way that a stadium would enhance the park and neighborhoods. This proposal to me is an example of inverted priorities.
Don't like the shared stadium on West Clemmonsville Road? I don't either. We did not like attending Mt. Tabor road games there. It is some distance away, leaving the parking lot takes forever, and the bleachers are uncomfortable. If RJR wants a better venue, make a deal to return to BG Stadium. The school has a history there, and it's a real stadium, not a set of bleachers. And it's somewhat more convenient. Either that or stay in the current location. Either option is a more sensible use of resources. Donate the dough to the Title 1 schools or to places like Samaritan Ministry.
When RJR opened in 1923, they practiced and played their football games where the baseball field is now. When Bowman Gray Stadium opened in the late 1930s, they moved their games there.
We loved playing our games in a real stadium. On the road we rarely saw anything like what we had.
The city charges WSSU $4,000 per game to play at Bowman Gray. If the boosters can actually raise $5 million, that would pay for 1,250 games...allowing for one playoff game a year, that last for 208.33 seasons.
Texas school installs $750,000 Jumbotron, largest in prep sports. Shaking my head. http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=At_fTDq6LmwQB0DSSzfhv4KbvZx4?p=Texas+high+school%2C+jumbotron&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701
Texas school to open $60M football field of dreams Published August 31, 2012 Associated Press
ALLEN, Texas – Call it the palace of high school football: A gleaming $60 million facility with seats for 18,000 roaring fans, a 38-foot-wide high-definition video screen, corporate sponsors and a towering upper deck.
Welcome to the new home of Eagles Football.
As school districts across the country struggle to retain teachers, replace outdated textbooks and keep class sizes from ballooning, the wealthy, burgeoning Dallas suburb of Allen is preparing to christen its new stadium with a sold-out Friday night matchup against defending state champions Southlake Carroll.
Obama is really concerned about everybody paying their fair share in taxes, but he doesn't seem too concerned about having only 'legal' voters vote.
It's really quite astounding that Obama has directed his attorney general to sue states over the voter I.D. laws, when there is clear evidence of voter fraud all over the country. In fact, in Texas alone, the current focus of voter I.D. laws, over 200 'dead' people showed up to vote in one election.
Add in the outrageous civil suits lodged against various states over illegal immigration, and you have a recipe for corruption and anarchy.
Throw in our feable economy, and you'd think, that people would wake up and say-we gotta to go with another person for president.
Burro's often develop a sort of mother complex and want to look after other animals.
Children's Home here had a problem a few years ago with coyotes attacking their calves. Two donkeys took care of that. The coyotes have moved farther downtown.
Good afternoon folks! No LTE's. Just a sum it up over an issue I really don't give a flip about. Maybe we can find something to comment about. Sum it up: Didn't attend RJR, don't spend anytime at Hanes Park, don't give a crap what they do. Faculty, students and alumni of RJR may want a stadium, but that does not translate into an actual necessity for a stadium. Like Stab, I'm also quite surprised at the number of responses. There were two items that caught my attention while skimming through. One is the mentioning by several about RJR being the only school without a stadium to call their own. Horse hockey. Neither does Parkland, but you don't hear them whining about it. Deaton-Thompson (notice RJR's long time coach comes before Parkland's long time coach) isn't exactly a little stroll from Parkland's parking lot. When my niece played soccer for PHS, I had to travel to Brunson to watch her play a home game. The other item that was brought up by a few such as Mr. Glen, the Rapps and Mr. Stewart that made an impact had to do with priorities. The WSFC school system is once again having to handle more students with fewer resources. It makes me wonder how many of these potential donors who have no problem ponying up for a $5-6M stadium were warning their state reps not to support Gov. Perdue's request to reinstate a 0.075% sales tax to make up for the education shortages. As Mr. Larson notes: "Invest in the core educational mission and what ultimately matters to the entire student body and their future".
I know over half of the people who responded above. This is just the opening salvo of what will become a very loud and very nasty civil war.
The proponents of the stadium are highly organized and determined to have their way. They have a slick, persuasive website. And they probably can produce the money.
But the opponents are just getting started. Many of the names that I see are veterans of other urban struggles, so know the process well. And I note that there are quite a few cousins set against each other, so it will be bloody and ugly.
Arguing about the academic needs of the school is a waste of time. The UNC-Chapel Hill sports budget for this year is about $70 million. Since none of that can come from tax revenue, most of the money is given by alums.
I’ve heard people say “Just think what that amount would do for academics.” What they don’t understand is that the people would not give that kind of money for academics. They have no interest in academics. They went to Chapel Hill for the ball games and frat parties.
And they’ve even found a way to force students to help them pay. Every full-time student is required to pay an athletic fee of about $270/year. It is cleverly hidden amongst the general tuition and fees and most students don’t even know that they are paying it. But it raises $5-6 million per year that goes directly into the athletic budget.
I read that article re the $60MM HS stadium outside of Dallas. What wonderful values they are teaching.
Of course, as noted above, that is not limited to TX. Here in Forsyth County, if one suggests that we might want bus students to different schools, we would hear howls about "busin' little chirrun." But, every school day a bus pulls up to Mt Tabor HS, from which athletes from other school districts disembark.
No quarrel with using school resources to augment MTHS' athletic programs. Mind you, the athletes have access to a good secondary education, but the doublethink on the part of some folks is interesting.
Yeah, those boys can learn an awful lot while they're getting whacked out of bounds.
An infamously ignorant coach at Mt. Tabor once asked the following question on a phys ed exam: What is the diameter of the center circle on a soccer field?
Everybody in the class answered correctly: 20 yards.
The coach marked every one wrong. He said the correct answer was 10 yards, which, of course, it is not...that would be the radius.
Even after they had shown him on a field diagram that he was wrong, he refused to back down.
To paraphrase Huck Finn, you can't learn a coach anything.
And don't forget that there is a lot of math in basketball too.
A lot of addition and subtraction: They give him the basket, so he'll shoot one. He's shooting one and one. He'll shoot two. It's a three! Oops, he stepped on the line, so it's only a two.
And a lot of counting. Shaq is called for a 3 second violation (which, of course, has never happened); they're calling it a double dribble; that's a five second violation; Shaq is being double teamed every time he gets the ball.
And all those zones: 1-2-2, 1-3-1, 1-1-3, 2-3, 2-1-2, 2-2-1, 3-2, 3-1-1, etc.
All basketball players should be math geniuses up to 5. After that they're on their own. Triple overtime.
MTHS started its practice season each summer with an idiotic drill called High Octane, which should have been called Low IQ. This consisted of the players running at full speed toward a blocking barrier and slamming into it. Imagine, a team of boys, sizzling with pride and testosterone in front of families and girl friends. I watched the first flight of players hit the barrier, and said this was insane, like a car owner taking his mount to demolition derby. Four players, including Susan's son, crashed their way to the ER. It was a brilliant way to start a season.
I do hope Arthur's frustrations dealing with the likes of Wes Patterson and Harvey Pulliam on the Journal site haven't affected his style on this site. While yoda-speak abounds on the Journal site, posters here, with the exception of one at least have a rational thought behind their opinion even if one disagrees with it. There's no "disagree with me, then you must hate God and the US" crap being displayed here.
Have you ever noticed how stupid you sound at times dotnet?
You just said that everyone is rational in here except for me. And I'm the only one that represents conservative ideas in the forum.
I don't do that. Although Bob is gay, and he is a liberal, I think he's one of the brightest and most savvy posters in here.
He's not like the emotional babbler, Rush. Who wants to argue over a comma. His posts are measured, and based on facts. You'd do well to emulate his style.
Besides, I didn't even know you cared about what others say or think. You usually come here for you daily liberal rant, and leave. I thought you were getting what you wanted out of the forum, which was reposting liberal propaganda?
Arthur is beating to his own drum. He'll probably end up in politics one day. I just hope his youthful snappy comments don't come back to back him in his Democrat one day.
Bucky, dotnet does not sound stupid. Also, you are not the only conservative member. WW is also conservative. And I have some positions that are generally called conservative, and some are not.
Most of us march to our own beat, which makes Arthur no different from most of us.
"He's not like the emotional babbler, Rush. Who wants to argue over a comma. His posts are measured, and based on facts. You'd do well to emulate his style."
Everything after my name in this little blurb refers to me, because "Rush" is the antecedent. Thanks for the compliment, sweet-cheeks!
"Arthur is beating to his own drum. He'll probably end up in politics one day. I just hope his youthful snappy comments don't come back to back him in his Democrat one day."
This makes about as much sense as all that howling down at the Silver Moon Saloon. I'm familiar with the "New Math" but didn't know that we have "New English" as well. "Beating to his own drum"...gotta remember that one for the next dinner party.
Rush, you're used to a one way conversation with a captive audience of young students. You don't like it when I verbally spank your hairy, liberal buttocks, do you?
Well, her's something, dotnet: I actually approve of a couple of Obama Administration initiatives: the increased fuel mileage standards for cars, and the just-announced effort to promote and accelerate construction of combined generation power plants. Co-gen raises power plant efficiency to about 60%, as opposed to a maximum of about 40% (usually closer to 25%) for coal-fired plants.
The co-gen plants use natural gas-fire jet engines to drive generators, with the hot engine exhausts creating steam to drive steam turbine generators. This is more fuel efficient, and cleaner than burning coal, also reduces CO2 output a given amount of energy produced, since methane is composed of both hydrogen and carbon, whereas coal is almost pure carbon.
The stimulus contained a lot of money for alternative energy. Some projects like the much maligned Solyndra were not successful but he vast majority were. At the same time our domestic energy production including oil is at an all time high. The Obama administration has indeed made a substantial effort to reduce the U.S. dependence on foreign oil (most of which comes from people who hate us).
California Legislature sends public pension overhaul bill to Jerry Brown
Over loud objections from organized labor and Republicans, the Legislature has approved a state and local public pension overhaul package that rolls back benefits for future hires while raising what those workers and current employees contribute to their retirements in coming years.
Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/the_state_worker/2012/08/california-legislature-sends-public-pension-overhaul-to-jerry-brown.html#storylink=cpy
This bill is a much watered down version of a bill offered by Governor Brown last year that would have switched most new hires to a 401(k)-style investment plan, others to a “hybrid” combining smaller pensions and a 401(k), and also included pension caps, employer contribution caps, later retirement ages and no longer allowing unions to bargain for pension benefits.
Just as with the ACA at the national level, Republicans, who had touted a similar bill and had initially supported Brown's offering, flip-flopped and killed the bill through procedural maneuvering.
Cali is headed in the right direction, but has a long way to go.
No LTEs to today just Hanes Park and Reynolds Stadium.
ReplyDeleteThe Sum It Up question from Sunday was: Does Reynolds High School need a new stadium?
Reynolds High School has a stadium. What Winston-Salem does not need is a football stadium in Hanes Park.
ELEN KNOTT
Reynolds needs a new stadium because it will give the students something to call their own and a place for family and friends to enjoy a true home game.
STEPHEN GREENE
The location in a stable, developed neighborhood and bordering a central urban park is of concern.
MARY B. HOWARD
Reynolds needs its own stadium. I love Hanes Park and I think the stadium will only make it better.
JOELL SCANLON
No. Need is not a valid argument for approval of the proposed stadium.
JAN KREBS
No, they don’t need a new stadium and especially at the cost of Hanes Park.
ERI SCHEIPERS
This is really about putting it at Hanes Park.
LAWRENCE KNIGHT
No. Well, maybe yes, but not in the middle of Hanes Park. It would be a traffic and ecological nightmare.
NANCY STREBLOW
I feel strongly that Reynolds should have a stadium of its own. This can be for graduation, also. Track and field events can be held there as well as lacrosse and field hockey and soccer.
CHUCK HARRIS
Yes. I am in favor of the new stadium proposal.
TANYA GUNTER
A large, modern stadium built in Hanes Park would be unfair to the area neighborhoods and to those who use the park. It would not be a good use of the park property.
CLARK HARPER
It’s not just a question of the stadium, it’s a question of damage to Hanes Park. It is too close.
DeleteAMANDA RATHER
Yes. Marching bands should be able to march to their stadium, not road trip.
FRANK JOHNSON
I don’t believe the question addresses the real controversy, which is the location.
LANGDON OPPERMANN
As a former Reynolds student-athlete and in the most recent graduating class, yes, R.J. Reynolds needs a stadium.
ANDY TEASDALL
Yes! Reynolds deserves a stadium.
MANDY WOLFERT
Yes! The stadium would be a wonderful addition to our West End neighborhood and would provide an adequate facility for the children to enjoy for years to come.
JOHN HOLZWARTH
Whether Reynolds High School needs a new stadium is debatable. What is not debatable is that the location currently under consideration (Hanes Park) is a terrible choice for numerous reasons.
DeleteANN URBAN
Yes, Reynolds High School needs a stadium. Thank you for letting us voice this opinion.
JANET WHITLEY
Reynolds may want a new stadium, but it does not need one that creates significant problems for Hanes Park and surrounding neighborhoods.
LAURA PHILLIPS
No, put the money back into education. Students will get more out of it that way.
WILLIAM SAMS
Reynolds High School does not need a new facility. Hanes Park is a gem that benefits all the people of Winston-Salem, year round, not a small fraction of people for six nights a year.
HILLARY PIERCE
Yes.
JACK WHITE
Given the struggles our public schools face today, it is hard to imagine why anyone would devote scare resources to a stadium for Reynolds High School. Don’t we have enough real problems?
MARK DULANEY GLEN
We need a new stadium ASAP.
MARCUS D. WATKINS
A more relevant question: Should a 4,500-seat stadium be built adjoining Hanes Park? No! That’s what this controversy is about. Why obscure the real issue?
DeleteDAVID AND C.C. WINSLOW
Yes, but why not put the stadium on land the city owns due east of the student parking lot that adjoins Reynolda Road just north of the railroad tracks?
FRANK SCISM
Yes, Reynolds High School needs a campus stadium and practice field.
RENCE CALLAHAN
Reynolds might need a stadium, but not in Hanes Park. It is a very ill-advised, high-consequence location.
JENNIFER SNOWHITE
No! If the booster club can raise that kind of money, then it should be put toward education — at Reynolds or, even better, at more needy schools. Sharing a stadium is a great use of resources.
KELLEY O’DONNELL
We need the R.J. Reynolds stadium! It would boost sales for the small businesses, boost community relations and provide a place for graduation. It would be a great addition.
BAILEY HOOTEN
Reynolds students have to travel to seven locations to play and practice as their home field. Students deserve a place to call home for the next generation and generations to come.
BRAD FISHER
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, R.J. REYNOLDS HIGH SCHOOL
We have plenty of evidence of a shortage of resources in our school system; for example, the layoffs of faculty and staff, children crowding into classrooms, and teachers having to buy classroom supplies. Should we be spending money on a stadium?
EVE RAPP
The quality of education is measured by academic performance. Until the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system’s academic performance is at or near the top in the state, we should not be spending millions on accessories such as a stadium. Good nutrition before jewelry.
STEVE RAPP
I think Reynolds High School deserves to have athletic facilities comparable to the other Forsyth County high schools. My three children graduated from R.J. Reynolds, and their experience would have been enhanced with this proposed facility.
C. LAURENCE ROBBS
As a parent of a child who will be entering Reynolds in the fall of 2015, I strongly feel it is time for this high school to have its own stadium near the campus that many students and families will be able to walk to.
LEIGH ANN McDONALD WOODRUFF
No stadium for R.J. Reynolds. Such a perfect park. Such a perfect school. Nice and ageless. Classy. A park people use. Keep the tradition. Winston-Salem is a traditional town — progressive when needed, but traditional. No stadium. People use this park.
DeleteBETSY TRENT
Why should Reynolds High School not have what every other county high school has — a stadium — especially when built on existing land owned by the school, with money raised privately? This is a no-brainer!
SHANNON RAINEY
Really simple, a stadium rather than a park that has been the central focus point of downtown Winston-Salem for at least half a century: absolutely not! We have one park and more than enough stadiums.
BRANDI BICKFORD
I am not in favor of the proposed stadium at Hanes Park because of the existing lack of parking in the West End area. The city will not let a business open without adequate parking; how can it allow a stadium requiring a thousand parking spaces without also building a parking deck?
GEORGE STREBLOW
Yes! The “Save Hanes Park” point is invalid. Hanes Park itself will not be touched, and the stadium will be built on Reynolds’ property. It’s unfair that every other high school has a stadium of their own and Reynolds students have to drive out to a “home” field that is far from home.
GRACE CARTER
Yes. R.J. Reynolds High School needs a “home” stadium. Would anybody ask Mount Tabor High School to play soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and football at West Forsyth High School?
For the children, the current athletic facilities situation at the high school is stuck in the 1920s.
KIRK FRY
Reynolds High School may need a new football stadium, but not in Hanes Park. Why tear down centuries-old trees for a stadium, when there are plenty of run-down old factory buildings that can be destroyed just a couple blocks down the road?
ANNA MILLER
No. I like what an earlier letter-writer suggested about sprucing up the current stadium and using other raised funds for academics. Also, the West End and other residents who use Hanes Park don’t need more traffic and a looming, out-of-proportion structure.
GENIE CARR
We would like R.J. Reynolds High School to have its own football stadium. This historic school should not be punished because it is in a landlocked area with no room to develop. The land proposed for the stadium site is school land and separate from Hanes Park.
DeleteHARRY COOK
Yes. “For 89 years Reynolds High School has been without a stadium to call home.” Reynolds is the only high school in its conference that does not have a stadium on its campus. The proposed stadium will be located on its campus using existing school-system property and be funded by private donations. It is needed and will be a wonderful addition to the community.
JOAN HEALY
No, Reynolds High School does not need a new stadium, it needs its own stadium, which it currently does not have. Having to take buses to home games while using (and paying to maintain) game and practice fields at The Children’s Home and middle schools that are better suited for goat grazing than athletics is ridiculous!
BRIAN MYERS
This is not a fair question. Do I need a million dollars? A more fitting question is should a public green space and at least two neighborhood’s property values be wiped out for eight home games a year? High school students have a limited time to enjoy sports, but residents and businesses around Hanes Park will live with the consequences forever.
BETH BOSTIC
If only private money is to be spent on the proposed football stadium, I don’t care one way or the other. However, I oppose spending even one dime of public money on such a stadium until slashed academic education budgets are restored and teachers no longer feel the need to buy classroom supplies out of their own pockets.
JOHN B. STEWART SR.
No, we do not need a stadium. We need to use resources to educate all students before providing fancy stadiums for a few. Green space to run, play and appreciate nature in is part of a good education for all children and provides plenty of opportunity for physical activity and recreation.
KELLEY WAITE
I play field hockey and lacrosse for R.J. Reynolds and I think we absolutely need a new home field. I practice/play at four locations: The Children’s Home, Paisley High School, Bolton Elementary School and Deaton-Thompson Stadium. For a busy teenager, it is such a pain to drive everywhere. A new field would give Reynolds players and students a sense of pride and, most importantly, it would give us a home.
DeleteSARAH PHILLIPS ORR
A few people want a “home field advantage” for Reynolds athletics. A lot of people need a beautiful, spacious urban park to enjoy with their friends and families. This city can’t have both, not on the P.H. Hanes grant. Improve Deaton-Thompson Stadium, root for the Demons, but by all means save Hanes Park.
BILL GIBSON
It’s not a question of need but of what is deserved. Every other high school in Forsyth County enjoys such a facility close to their campuses, except Reynolds and Parkland. Those stadiums were all constructed with public funds. Allowing the Reynolds community to build its own venue would provide for both schools, thus allowing everyone in the county to finally have their own place to play. My answer is “yes.”
WENDY BOLING
Thousands of people, including many R.J. Reynolds parents and alumni, have signed a petition to oppose the building of this unnecessary stadium adjacent to the Hanes Park land that citizens utilize for exercise and relaxation. Destroying the character of a beloved park and surrounding historic neighborhoods is a lose-lose proposition and an “advantage” for no one. Expecting taxpayers to cover long-term operating and additional expenses for such a stadium would add insult to injury.
KATHLEEN M. RAMICH
The question is really less about need and more about does it make sense. It would render a beautiful park unusable for many current activities and be a financial and practical burden on the city/county at a time when we need to conserve our resources. It would also alter the character of the well-established neighborhoods surrounding Hanes Park. Find a new location with adequate existing parking if you feel the need to build it and can operate it with private funds.
J.E. WOLTZ
Yes! Reynolds High School deserves a stadium! It is the only school in this county that does not have a home field advantage. The only sports facility that Reynolds can call home is its gymnasium. I do not understand why the oldest high school in this county is being treated as if its students are outcasts!
DeleteYes, yes, yes, Reynolds High needs a stadium.
MELISSA FISCH
Yes. I see nothing in the plans that damages the park or surrounding neighborhoods in any way. The real issue for those folks that live nearby and are the most vocal seems to be a fear of people parking in front of or near their homes. I think we can tolerate a little inconvenience for six home games a year in exchange for a stadium that the kids at Reynolds can be proud of on their own campus.
BRENT WHITE
Having gone to East Forsyth High School, where the stadium is next to the gymnasium, I understand the desire for a stadium nearby. But destroying the park will take a big chunk of the heart of our city.
There are industrial sites nearby; why can’t we see clear to improve those areas with a wonderful stadium (like the baseball stadium, perhaps)? Yes, it might take more resolve and more money, but there’s no real savings in putting it in Hanes Park if we consider the intangibles.
ROGER N. KIRKMAN
What if we changed the question from “Does Reynolds need a new stadium?” to “Does Reynolds need its own stadium, near its own campus, like most if not all other high schools in the county?” Yes! As a nearby resident, I would love to be able to walk or bike over and watch home soccer or lacrosse or football games with my family. It would be a great addition to the Hanes Park area.
KATHY McLEAN
Building a stadium in Hanes Park would diminish its usefulness to the wider community. Long has this park been a source of healthy activities, peaceful relaxation and urban beauty. The trees of Hanes Park have cleaned our air. The benches and paths have fostered friendships as well as meditation and inspiration.
All of these benefits have been available to us all, as was the purpose of the Hanes’ gift to the city. How shameful if, so soon after the death of Phil Hanes, this park should be desecrated by a few short-sighted and selfish people.
KATHERINE McGINNIS
Yes! The students of the Reynolds community deserve to play at home without having to get in a car or on a bus. This is a way to demonstrate a community coming together to build something for our future leaders. It’s not about how many ways you can think to spend $6 million. It is about private fund-raising to support a project we believe will better the educational experience at our neighborhood school. Those who have ideas on how to spend other people’s money should start their own fund-raising efforts for their own cause.
DeleteRAY WORKMAN
Disregarding any impact to Hanes Park and the neighborhoods, one has to question the validity of spending so much money on a stadium at a time when the education system is under such extreme stress. It is tragic what is happening to school funding. It should be the quality of the teachers and academics that makes Reynolds High School great, not a new football stadium. Invest in the core educational mission and what ultimately matters to the entire student body and their future — and the future of Winston-Salem.
JOHN C. LARSON
Yes, Reynolds High School needs a stadium! Parkland also deserves a stadium, and when Reynolds can finally “bring it home,” Parkland will also have its own home-field advantage. Hanes Park, despite what people have been led to believe, will be fine. There is plenty of “green space” that already belongs to the city. A beautiful stadium designed by a local well-known and respected architect will enhance the surrounding area.
The present and future students of Reynolds High School deserve a stadium. This is long overdue!
LINDA R. HILL
Reynolds absolutely needs a new stadium. Here’s why:
It will address a long-standing inequity in the school system. The Reynolds football, field hockey, lacrosse and soccer teams have no home as it stands now.
School athletics are the most important and effective dropout prevention program we have.
Our field hockey team frequently can’t play a full varsity or J.V. game later in the season because the field at The Children’s Home has no lights.
The stadium is not being built in Hanes Park and can be built in an attractive way that enhances the park and provides enough parking for games.
Hanes Park was originally donated to the city with the understanding that it was to be used for athletic fields for Reynolds.
JOSHUA BRAGG
TEACHER, R.J. REYNOLDS HIGH SCHOOL
Does Reynolds High School need a new stadium? Absolutely! Reynolds is the oldest high school in the city and is an important part of our community. There is no reason why the school and its students should be denied any longer the same opportunity every other high school is given. A multi-sport facility on campus will eliminate the need for the school’s teams to travel far off campus for practices and games, will make it possible for more students to participate in athletics, and will build morale and unity among a very diverse student body.
TROY TYNER
I am writing in response as to why R.J. Reynolds High School needs a new football stadium.
DeleteThe one it has been sharing needs replacing or repairing anyway.
It has been sharing the same stadium for quite a number of years, which hinders school pride.
Most of the school athletics are near Hanes Park, and this major sport for the school is across town.
As an R.J. Reynolds alumnus, I understand the value of Hanes Park, the school’s relation to it, and why the stadium means so much to so many.
Reynolds High School is one of the premier schools in this town, and I believe that the loyalty of its alumni will support the venture.
The building of the project and the stadium’s use should stir excitement and bring a boost to the local economy.
For the supporters of Hanes Park, this should only affect a small portion of the park, and change is inevitable.
TIM CHILDRESS
I understand and support the need of Reynolds to have a “home” field stadium. I have big problem with where some of the supporters want to put it.
Why is the land along Reynolda Road (owned by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County board of education and occupied by Reynolds) not being considered as the primary location site?
Do not tell me it is because it is in a flood plain. Design and architectural advances allow for construction of facilities on such land, accounting for the extremely rare occurrence of weather and natural disasters. Although this space is also wonderful green space, it is clearly not used, is underappreciated and poorly maintained (as in landscaping and access). There is no way the Northwest Boulevard site would be able to handle the traffic and crowds that would be attendant with such an arena. This Reynolda Road site possibly could be designed to fill the need and allow for all problems of the other site to be addressed. Just saying…
RANDALL E. SPRINKLE
I was born in Winston-Salem 62 years ago and have always loved the wonderful facilities at Hanes Park. When we were first married, we lived up the hill on Summit Street.
Whether or not Reynolds High School needs a new stadium is not the question to address. The first thing to state is that any stadium should not be placed within Hanes Park. The park is already crowded with many activities; a little peace and quiet needs to be retained.
Please do not let a stadium blight our beautiful Hanes Park.
PATSY BROWN
No new stadium is needed; if built, it should not be adjoining Hanes Park.
DeleteI’m sure there are longstanding reasons other than money that a stadium was not built here sometime in the last 88 years. I would hope that folks who came into office supporting neighborhood schools would listen to neighborhood concerns. As a two-time R.J. Reynolds parent, I’d hate to see a place that values being “amidst the pines” make Hanes Park be “against the concrete” with this stadium.
ERIC ELLIOTT
No. Reynolds High School has a football stadium, one that taxpayers are already paying to maintain. At a time when governments are struggling to contain budgets and conserve resources, taking on the maintenance of a new stadium — even one constructed partly with private funds — is irresponsible. Now is not the time for a vanity project whose proponents seem to be willfully ignoring obvious issues with parking and potential issues with storm water due to the nature of the proposed site. And those of us who appreciate Hanes Park the way it is surely do not want to see it turned into a construction staging area with no guarantee that the park and creek will remain unchanged.
STACEY BAILEY PHARR
Reynolds High School does not need a new stadium in Hanes Park! A new stadium in another location might be nice (how about a brown-field redevelopment site?), but squashing a big stadium in an already congested area while sacrificing scarce green space is a bad idea. My two children have been involved in the terrific athletic program at Reynolds, and I attended football games at Bowman Gray stadium in the 1970s. We’ve had great team spirit for generations, happily sharing facilities for track/football/swimming/tennis/baseball/soccer/lacrosse/field hockey! Go, Demons!
SUZANNA WATKINS
If only I could summon $5 million-$7 million to address the pressing needs of our neighborhood schools: I would invest in rebuilding Brunson Elementary, support Wiley Middle’s state-mandated interventions to improve student achievement, pay teachers the salaries they deserve — but lump much-needed funds into an grandiose, over-sized stadium just to provide a more convenient location at the expense of Wiley and our downtown green space? No.
ELIZABETH COYNE
Reynolds High needs a home football stadium.
DeleteIt is rarely debated that interscholastic sports activities promote citizenship and sportsmanship. They instill a sense of pride in community, teach lifelong lessons of teamwork and self-discipline and facilitate the physical and emotional development of our community’s youth. Construction of a home R.J. Reynolds High School stadium, on exiting school property, will only enhance the positive effect school-based sports has on the student body.
THEODORA SPARROW
Whether Reynolds High School deserves a new stadium is a school-board issue. Even if it tops the priority list, it should not be built in Hanes Park because:
It sacrifices a flexible resource serving many for a limited resource for a relative few.
It incorrectly presumes that Reynolds is a neighborhood school, drawing mostly from its nearby students.
It is the kind of change that is nearly impossible to undo when the mistake is recognized. Please think outside that box!
ELLEN S. YARBOROUGH
R.J. Reynolds High School desperately needs its own stadium on campus. As a mother of two Reynolds graduates and a current student, I have had to drive carpool to countless practices and games at the Deaton-Thompson Stadium. There were many times that I had to take other athletes who didn’t have access to a car, or whose parents worked and could not get them to the field. Having to provide transportation to home games is something that other schools do not have to address. This is a significant cost and inconvenience to the students, parents and coaches at our school. Having a stadium on campus would create a sports venue that would be accessible to all the Reynolds students, even those who lack transportation during the school day.
MELISSA WORKMAN
It seems a shame to allow a stadium to intrude on the open space of Hanes Park and to irreparably damage the character of the park and the surrounding communities. Once open space is gone, you never get it back.
The parking and traffic issues associated with the proposed stadium should be carefully considered, as already there is not enough parking for those using the park and the YMCA. The surrounding neighborhoods will bear the brunt of the additional parking and traffic, contributing to a decline in desirability of these areas (i.e. property values).
And let’s not forget that private funds will not cover the complete and ongoing costs associated with this stadium. Tax dollars will eventually be involved.
JESSICA SKIPPER
For more responses, go to www2.journalnow.com/list/opinion-letters/
Beat the tar out of RJR, Beat the tar out of RJR
ReplyDeleteWhile I understand that a NEW stadium is WANTED, there's a NEED to maintain educational infrastructure AND fairly compensate teachers for teaching our future teachers, lawyers, doctors, scientists, farmers, economists, leaders, etc. Collecting $50 per student at the beginning of the current school year isn't going to meet those NEEDS, yet SOMEHOW money has been found to build a new stadium? Things that make me go h-m-m-m...
ReplyDeleteIt's SHAMEFUL that those who are saying that a NEW stadium is needed are NOT ALSO saying that quality education is needed.
Agreed.
DeleteThe self-designated 'elite' high school people just don't want to drive over into the 'hood' anymore for football games. That's the bottom line.
ReplyDeleteBut who can blame them, black criminals have long been 'targeting' and 'profiling' the white honkies from the Westside of town for years.
I think Hanes Park should be preserved as is. Back when I used to go over to the 'Y', before all the 'leering' and offensive behavior was initiated by gays in the bathroom/shower facilities, I used to use the track sometimes to check my running speed. I've also played on the tennis courts many times. It's a nice addition to the 'Y'.
It's too bad all the 'gays' ruined the wonderful athletic facilities at the 'Y' with their disturbing behavior. I'd like to rejoin, but it's just too uncomfortable to go there.
Clint Eastwood made the Republicans day last night by blasting an inept president named Barack Obama.
ReplyDeleteWe used to call people that were do nothings in my job-empty suits. Clint borrowed from that theme by employing an empty chair to address an invisible Obama.
It was strangely appropriate as Obama has certain been 'empty' on good ideas for the last 4 years.
None of the Democratic 'dunces' are listening though. They're too 'smart' to have made a mistake in voting for Obama, remember?
Clearly the stadium issue is now settled....
ReplyDeleteYep. RJR desperately needs/does not need a new stadium. We are/are not going to build a stadium at Hanes Park/not at Hanes Park. It will/will not ruin the park. There will/will not be adequate parking. It will/will not destroy property values.
DeleteCase closed.
I second.
DeleteGood, we never did like your type at the Y anyway. And that's just Bullshit, "all the gays." There ARE some creepy old men that like to sit around the steam room and leer, but most mind their own business. I ran a gym for 20 years and everyone knew I was gay. But the breeders there are a bit more sophisticated and not so ashamed and self conscious of their bodies. Even my friend, Ben Smith, the Navy Seal in Dishonorable Disclosures, never thought twice about being nude in front of me or vice versa, but then again you're no Navy Seal, you're more like a performing seal, urrht, urrht. No TV now in over a week
ReplyDeleteWhen I was competing Bucky, men leered at me all the time. If someone made me feel uncomfortable, I was man enough to say something to them politely and it stopped. You should just man up.
ReplyDeleteI realize that would be out of character for you and take you out of your comfort zone, but it's really not all that difficult. "Actions speak louder than words, just not as often." Mark Twain
DeleteNo TV in a week? Your considerable IQ must be even higher now.
DeleteThe worst leerer I ever saw was Frank Fischer, the Rabbi at Duke. He and his wife, who was stunning, were clients of mine. He would go into a trance like leer. I had to speak to him several times about it. He was older and didn't even realize he was doing it.
Deleteyep, I have my computer set up in one of the Carriage Houses/Shop and am using my TV as a viewing screen. We have 4 goat kids just weeks old. Two have blue eyes. They are the cutest things hoppin' around the yard.
DeleteNo TV in a week? Sounds like one of my fishing trips to the coast.
DeleteHey Bob, maybe this is too personal, but did the steroids you used to take have anything to do with your current heart problems?
DeleteIt's possible, but I had a physiological murmer since birth and the stenosis had already been diagnosed before my doctors put me on androgel. In 2004 I had a fever that reached 105 daily from July27 through September 12, I lost 55 lbs and looked like Yoda. FUO (fever of unknown origin). Never did discover the cause. I used androgel for 3 years after so it could have contributed. I never used steroids illegally, but one of my employees did, Bill Dunn. He was the strength and fitness coach at UVA for many years and competed in the World's Strongest Man contest. He was about 6'3" and 350 lbs and had his own 200lb dumbells, the only pair I've ever seen. Bill was Ralph Sampson's Trainer if you remember him.
DeleteBTW, Androgel REALLY works.
DeleteIllegal steroids are big in some portions of the gay community. I know you like(d) to stay in shape that's why I asked. Sometimes, people take their vanity too far.
DeleteHope you're doing well in your new place.
This is paradise, thanks. I was a professional trainer for 20 years, saw lot's of steroid use, but never touched the street stuff.
DeleteI am startled at the attention the proposed stadium is drawing. But, now I'm part of that attention as well:
ReplyDeleteI graduated from RJR HS. The last home game I attended until I started going to my stepson's Mt Tabor games was in 1968, a poor alumnus, I (oops, is that too Yoda-esque?). All the home games were at BG Stadium. We didn't think anything about that. We left school on FR PM, did one thing or another (I worked for a couple of hours), went home, ate supper, drove to the games. So, except for the football team itself, nonsense about walking from school to stadium is just that.
I believe that people have a right to spend their money legally as they please. So, if they wish to buy a little used structure for vanity, well and good, IF it is out in a sparsely populated area with reasonable traffic access. There is no way that a stadium would enhance the park and neighborhoods. This proposal to me is an example of inverted priorities.
Don't like the shared stadium on West Clemmonsville Road? I don't either. We did not like attending Mt. Tabor road games there. It is some distance away, leaving the parking lot takes forever, and the bleachers are uncomfortable. If RJR wants a better venue, make a deal to return to BG Stadium. The school has a history there, and it's a real stadium, not a set of bleachers. And it's somewhat more convenient. Either that or stay in the current location. Either option is a more sensible use of resources. Donate the dough to the Title 1 schools or to places like Samaritan Ministry.
When RJR opened in 1923, they practiced and played their football games where the baseball field is now. When Bowman Gray Stadium opened in the late 1930s, they moved their games there.
DeleteWe loved playing our games in a real stadium. On the road we rarely saw anything like what we had.
The city charges WSSU $4,000 per game to play at Bowman Gray. If the boosters can actually raise $5 million, that would pay for 1,250 games...allowing for one playoff game a year, that last for 208.33 seasons.
Texas school installs $750,000 Jumbotron, largest in prep sports. Shaking my head.
Deletehttp://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=At_fTDq6LmwQB0DSSzfhv4KbvZx4?p=Texas+high+school%2C+jumbotron&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701
Even worse:
DeleteTexas school to open $60M football field of dreams
Published August 31, 2012
Associated Press
ALLEN, Texas – Call it the palace of high school football: A gleaming $60 million facility with seats for 18,000 roaring fans, a 38-foot-wide high-definition video screen, corporate sponsors and a towering upper deck.
Welcome to the new home of Eagles Football.
As school districts across the country struggle to retain teachers, replace outdated textbooks and keep class sizes from ballooning, the wealthy, burgeoning Dallas suburb of Allen is preparing to christen its new stadium with a sold-out Friday night matchup against defending state champions Southlake Carroll.
Allen has a nearly 700 member marching band.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/08/31/texas-school-to-open-60m-football-field-dreams/#ixzz259F7UlMp
Obama is really concerned about everybody paying their fair share in taxes, but he doesn't seem too concerned about having only 'legal' voters vote.
ReplyDeleteIt's really quite astounding that Obama has directed his attorney general to sue states over the voter I.D. laws, when there is clear evidence of voter fraud all over the country. In fact, in Texas alone, the current focus of voter I.D. laws, over 200 'dead' people showed up to vote in one election.
Add in the outrageous civil suits lodged against various states over illegal immigration, and you have a recipe for corruption and anarchy.
Throw in our feable economy, and you'd think, that people would wake up and say-we gotta to go with another person for president.
As always, Dunce World is the world of lies.
ReplyDeleteThe Texas Attorney General claimed that he found 239 dead people who actually voted.
235 of those cases have now been found to be mistaken identity cases. The remaining 4 are still being looked into.
But the braying jackass brays on.
Le Bec-Fin
We have a little burro here. He is so friendly. He and the horse hang together all the time.
DeleteBurro's often develop a sort of mother complex and want to look after other animals.
DeleteChildren's Home here had a problem a few years ago with coyotes attacking their calves. Two donkeys took care of that. The coyotes have moved farther downtown.
Better restaurants down town.
DeleteYes, and they really like the Silver Moon Saloon...great for howling at.
DeleteBy the way NW, the Supremes have already upheld a similar Georgia voter I.D. law.
DeleteAnd a Federal judge just canned a TX voter ID law, said it is discriminatory. Dotnet explained how in a thread some time back.
DeleteAs always when his lies are exposed, Dunce tries to change the subject.
DeletePitiful little man with a pitiful little...
Texas AG plans to appeal the Washington D.C. appellate decision to the Supremes.
DeleteI'm about ten steps ahead of you guys on your best days.
Good afternoon folks! No LTE's. Just a sum it up over an issue I really don't give a flip about. Maybe we can find something to comment about.
ReplyDeleteSum it up: Didn't attend RJR, don't spend anytime at Hanes Park, don't give a crap what they do. Faculty, students and alumni of RJR may want a stadium, but that does not translate into an actual necessity for a stadium. Like Stab, I'm also quite surprised at the number of responses. There were two items that caught my attention while skimming through. One is the mentioning by several about RJR being the only school without a stadium to call their own. Horse hockey. Neither does Parkland, but you don't hear them whining about it. Deaton-Thompson (notice RJR's long time coach comes before Parkland's long time coach) isn't exactly a little stroll from Parkland's parking lot. When my niece played soccer for PHS, I had to travel to Brunson to watch her play a home game. The other item that was brought up by a few such as Mr. Glen, the Rapps and Mr. Stewart that made an impact had to do with priorities. The WSFC school system is once again having to handle more students with fewer resources. It makes me wonder how many of these potential donors who have no problem ponying up for a $5-6M stadium were warning their state reps not to support Gov. Perdue's request to reinstate a 0.075% sales tax to make up for the education shortages. As Mr. Larson notes: "Invest in the core educational mission and what ultimately matters to the entire student body and their future".
I know over half of the people who responded above. This is just the opening salvo of what will become a very loud and very nasty civil war.
DeleteThe proponents of the stadium are highly organized and determined to have their way. They have a slick, persuasive website. And they probably can produce the money.
But the opponents are just getting started. Many of the names that I see are veterans of other urban struggles, so know the process well. And I note that there are quite a few cousins set against each other, so it will be bloody and ugly.
Arguing about the academic needs of the school is a waste of time. The UNC-Chapel Hill sports budget for this year is about $70 million. Since none of that can come from tax revenue, most of the money is given by alums.
I’ve heard people say “Just think what that amount would do for academics.” What they don’t understand is that the people would not give that kind of money for academics. They have no interest in academics. They went to Chapel Hill for the ball games and frat parties.
And they’ve even found a way to force students to help them pay. Every full-time student is required to pay an athletic fee of about $270/year. It is cleverly hidden amongst the general tuition and fees and most students don’t even know that they are paying it. But it raises $5-6 million per year that goes directly into the athletic budget.
I read that article re the $60MM HS stadium outside of Dallas. What wonderful values they are teaching.
DeleteOf course, as noted above, that is not limited to TX. Here in Forsyth County, if one suggests that we might want bus students to different schools, we would hear howls about "busin' little chirrun." But, every school day a bus pulls up to Mt Tabor HS, from which athletes from other school districts disembark.
No quarrel with using school resources to augment MTHS' athletic programs. Mind you, the athletes have access to a good secondary education, but the doublethink on the part of some folks is interesting.
Stab...it's a two-fer...the yard lines are used for math tutoring.
DeleteYeah, those boys can learn an awful lot while they're getting whacked out of bounds.
DeleteAn infamously ignorant coach at Mt. Tabor once asked the following question on a phys ed exam: What is the diameter of the center circle on a soccer field?
Everybody in the class answered correctly: 20 yards.
The coach marked every one wrong. He said the correct answer was 10 yards, which, of course, it is not...that would be the radius.
Even after they had shown him on a field diagram that he was wrong, he refused to back down.
To paraphrase Huck Finn, you can't learn a coach anything.
And don't forget that there is a lot of math in basketball too.
DeleteA lot of addition and subtraction: They give him the basket, so he'll shoot one. He's shooting one and one. He'll shoot two. It's a three! Oops, he stepped on the line, so it's only a two.
And a lot of counting. Shaq is called for a 3 second violation (which, of course, has never happened); they're calling it a double dribble; that's a five second violation; Shaq is being double teamed every time he gets the ball.
And all those zones: 1-2-2, 1-3-1, 1-1-3, 2-3, 2-1-2, 2-2-1, 3-2, 3-1-1, etc.
All basketball players should be math geniuses up to 5. After that they're on their own. Triple overtime.
MTHS started its practice season each summer with an idiotic drill called High Octane, which should have been called Low IQ. This consisted of the players running at full speed toward a blocking barrier and slamming into it. Imagine, a team of boys, sizzling with pride and testosterone in front of families and girl friends. I watched the first flight of players hit the barrier, and said this was insane, like a car owner taking his mount to demolition derby. Four players, including Susan's son, crashed their way to the ER. It was a brilliant way to start a season.
DeleteI do hope Arthur's frustrations dealing with the likes of Wes Patterson and Harvey Pulliam on the Journal site haven't affected his style on this site. While yoda-speak abounds on the Journal site, posters here, with the exception of one at least have a rational thought behind their opinion even if one disagrees with it. There's no "disagree with me, then you must hate God and the US" crap being displayed here.
ReplyDeleteWe'll probably be seeing less of Arthur here. Consult social media for details.
DeleteFacebook is a pronounced no-no at work (unlike cerebral sites like the LTE Forum :), so I'll have to wait, but I am sorry for decreased participation.
DeleteHave you ever noticed how stupid you sound at times dotnet?
DeleteYou just said that everyone is rational in here except for me. And I'm the only one that represents conservative ideas in the forum.
I don't do that. Although Bob is gay, and he is a liberal, I think he's one of the brightest and most savvy posters in here.
He's not like the emotional babbler, Rush. Who wants to argue over a comma. His posts are measured, and based on facts. You'd do well to emulate his style.
Besides, I didn't even know you cared about what others say or think. You usually come here for you daily liberal rant, and leave. I thought you were getting what you wanted out of the forum, which was reposting liberal propaganda?
Yoda-Speak? I assume it is an old Hungarian dialect? My Slavic Nationalism professor could speak something like that.
DeleteArthur is beating to his own drum. He'll probably end up in politics one day. I just hope his youthful snappy comments don't come back to back him in his Democrat one day.
DeleteBucky, dotnet does not sound stupid. Also, you are not the only conservative member. WW is also conservative. And I have some positions that are generally called conservative, and some are not.
DeleteMost of us march to our own beat, which makes Arthur no different from most of us.
"He's not like the emotional babbler, Rush. Who wants to argue over a comma. His posts are measured, and based on facts. You'd do well to emulate his style."
DeleteEverything after my name in this little blurb refers to me, because "Rush" is the antecedent. Thanks for the compliment, sweet-cheeks!
"Arthur is beating to his own drum. He'll probably end up in politics one day. I just hope his youthful snappy comments don't come back to back him in his Democrat one day."
This makes about as much sense as all that howling down at the Silver Moon Saloon. I'm familiar with the "New Math" but didn't know that we have "New English" as well. "Beating to his own drum"...gotta remember that one for the next dinner party.
Rush, you're used to a one way conversation with a captive audience of young students. You don't like it when I verbally spank your hairy, liberal buttocks, do you?
DeleteWell, her's something, dotnet: I actually approve of a couple of Obama Administration initiatives: the increased fuel mileage standards for cars, and the just-announced effort to promote and accelerate construction of combined generation power plants. Co-gen raises power plant efficiency to about 60%, as opposed to a maximum of about 40% (usually closer to 25%) for coal-fired plants.
ReplyDeleteThe co-gen plants use natural gas-fire jet engines to drive generators, with the hot engine exhausts creating steam to drive steam turbine generators. This is more fuel efficient, and cleaner than burning coal, also reduces CO2 output a given amount of energy produced, since methane is composed of both hydrogen and carbon, whereas coal is almost pure carbon.
Credit where credit is due.
The stimulus contained a lot of money for alternative energy. Some projects like the much maligned Solyndra were not successful but he vast majority were. At the same time our domestic energy production including oil is at an all time high. The Obama administration has indeed made a substantial effort to reduce the U.S. dependence on foreign oil (most of which comes from people who hate us).
DeleteRubio: Obama Trying Ideas People Came To America To Get Away From
ReplyDelete________
Boy, that hit home for me!
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2012/08/30/rubio_obama_trying_ideas_people_came_to_america_to_get_away_from.html
Hey, Stab this is one to pop open a Stella for
ReplyDeleteCalifornia Legislature sends public pension overhaul bill to Jerry Brown
Over loud objections from organized labor and Republicans, the Legislature has approved a state and local public pension overhaul package that rolls back benefits for future hires while raising what those workers and current employees contribute to their retirements in coming years.
Read more here: http://blogs.sacbee.com/the_state_worker/2012/08/california-legislature-sends-public-pension-overhaul-to-jerry-brown.html#storylink=cpy
Good, it's about time those California leeches paid their own way.
DeleteInteresting bedfellows, of course opposing for differing reasons, but yes, Wordly, I'll crack a Stella on a step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteA step in the right direction...yes.
DeleteThis bill is a much watered down version of a bill offered by Governor Brown last year that would have switched most new hires to a 401(k)-style investment plan, others to a “hybrid” combining smaller pensions and a 401(k), and also included pension caps, employer contribution caps, later retirement ages and no longer allowing unions to bargain for pension benefits.
Just as with the ACA at the national level, Republicans, who had touted a similar bill and had initially supported Brown's offering, flip-flopped and killed the bill through procedural maneuvering.
Cali is headed in the right direction, but has a long way to go.