My once favorite "hang out", the Main Street Cafe' will be re-opening this Thursday with new owners. I stopped by briefly on Monday during an introductory coffee tasting session. They have done away with Dave Palakanis' choice of BRIGHT ORANGE wall color and have painted the interior a [...]
My hiatus from much community involvement has given me a chance to step back and enjoy the great little community I am a part of. It has also allowed me to turn my eyes from the things I don't like and give more focus on how I would like things to be.
Maybe I' [...]
As you may have guessed from my recent lack of postings to this blog, I've lost the enthusiasm I once had for this town.
I honestly thought it was "ripe for change" and ready for positive growth. I was mistaken.
Something is out of whack here and I've spent [...]
I can't go to the Main Street Cafe' this morning. I can't have Alice fix my coffee exactly the way I like it without my having to say a word. I can't hear Michael's silly jokes or watch him dancing to the music from his list of [...]
A "friend" of mine recently asked me if I liked dogs, to which I answered "Yes, I love dogs". He then proceeded to tell me in an excited tone that he was going to start breeding pit bulls.
NOOOOOOOO! That's a horrible idea!
Over 3 million pets are euthanized [...]
Oh, don't moan and groan. I rarely ask you to do anything, but this weekend I want you to look around your town and make a list of things that you (or anybody) could do to make life a little better for the town as a whole.
If you really want' [...]
Today I disabled the feature that allows readers to "comment" on my blog entries. Although I did, on occasion, get a supportive response from people who knew me personally, or who had something interesting to add to the discussion, generally receiving a "comment" was not a positive experience. More often [...]
Studies have been done across the US, and as close as Washington, North Carolina, examining the attitudes and opinions of small town residents on the subject of TOURISM as a local industry. It is not surprising that many "average" citizens don't even understand how the industry operates and how it benefits far' [...]
Last night at our semi-regular We Be Jammin'open mic session, I had a chance to talk to some folks about things that might be fun to add to the "Things To Do in Tarboro" list.
It looks like sometime in the VERY near future, ladies in town will be' [...]
I know that I am a very outspoken and opinionated woman. I like to think that my outspokenness comes from a very sincere desire to make things better.
Although I'm not an expert in psychology or sociology or any "ology" for that matter, I do understand that to' [...]
Yesterday's local paper, The Daily Southerner, had a front page story with the headline MUHAMMAD COMPLAINS ABOUT NOBLE . I'm not going to go into all that was in print, you can follow the link and read it for yourself.
I am going to take this opportunity to express my thoughts' [...]
Recently the following post was made on our community discussion page, in response to an old post. It was posted anonymously and signed "concerned citizen". I could have simply responded to it there, but wanted my response to reach the other "concerned citizens".
"I am writing because unlike most people" [...]
In 2008 Tarboro was selected as one of the top 3 fittest communities in North Carolina. Although this was a rating based on municipal dollars spent on health and fitness related projects in the community, I think that there are many ways that we have earned and deserve that rating.
[...]
My husband and I purchased the old Marrow-Pitt building at 305 N. Main Street in August 4 years ago. It looked pretty bad when we bought it, but the price was right, the location great and we only needed a warehouse for our internet-based business so looks didn't much matter' [...]
The following comment was posted in response to my last blog entry. I suspect that it is the "work" of a certain person whose has been blocked from posting, although this time the name signed was simply the initial "C". I did not wish to encourage this individual, but thought the comment was worth [...]
If you visit Tarboro's new $44,000 website you'll see that there is a page specifically for the mayor and town council members. What you'll find there is their names and, if you click on a name, you get their picture. Not one has any contact information. The ONLY person [...]
I recently bought a little Flip videocam, so I headed to www.youtube.com to see what would result from a search there for TARBORO videos. CLICK HERE to see for yourself.
Well........... not exactly what I had hoped to find. The very first example for folks interested [...]
Summer is almost here in Tarboro. Although May has had a few chilly days, on the most part we've been able to enjoy that early sampling of summer that folks further north don't get to experience.
We've had the Beach Music Festival and the Happening on the Common, so' [...]
First he takes the oath. Here’s what else he takes:
He takes it in stride when people call him “pig.”
He takes his low paycheck, realizing he’ll never be rich.
He takes a second job sometimes to make ends meet and support his family.
He takes…time to stop and talk to [...]
With Tarboro By Gaslight (and The Gaslight Ball) just days away, I thought a quick explanation of the genre known as STEAMPUNK might be of interest.
"Steampunk is the science fiction of the steam age, re-imagined with the advantage of modern hindsight. Drawing upon the wealth of historical" [...]
My octogenarian parents in Maryland have been trying to sell their house. It is a very nice house, in a very nice neighborhood. It has a big yard and even an inground swimming pool. They bought the house back in 1965 and have taken very good care of the [...]
What does it take to motivate people in Tarboro to take responsibility for the progress (or lack of progress) of their town?
I didn't move here with the intention of "shaking things up" or "changing things", in fact, I've always been pretty much a "homebody" and when I moved here I [...]
For the first "official" T2S (Tarboro's 2nd Saturday) of 2009, activities have been added to the "what's going on" list on a daily basis.
Yesterday, the Edgecombe County Veteran's Museum dropped me a note to bring me up to date on what they will be offering this [...]
When the Grassroots started Tarboro's 2nd Saturday last year, the concept was to coordinate events around town to happen on the second Saturday of every month so that promoting events could be combined and simplified. Folks would soon know that if they were looking for something to [...]
NC Lt. Governor Walter DaltonI was pleased to be a part of a small business "listening" forum with Lt. Governor Walter Dalton yesterday and equally pleased that he made a point of talking about the need for and benefits of a town having a clear VISION PLAN.
It [...]
As a person who understands the universal law of attraction, from time to time it is necessary to help myself re-align with positive energy by practicing a rampage of appreciation. It is easy to feel uplifted simply by bringing to my awareness all the blessings in my [...]
If you haven't been downtown in awhile, you may not have noticed but members of the Town of Tarboro workforce have been very busy the last couple of weeks "sprucing up" our pretty Courthouse Square.
First, they repaired and replaced some damaged sections of concrete. Then, they replaced the wood' [...]
For the 2nd Saturday event in May, the Grassroots have been putting together something truly unique for our little sleepy burg.
Now don't let that word "steampunk" scare you. If you don't like the word, try "Neo-Victorian" add a bit of futuristic fantasy plus [...]
Ok,the T2S Street Fair/Music Fest as it was in 2008 isn't gonna be happening this year, so what are we, the Grassroots, going to do instead?
We know we still want music, and fun stuff to do on an occasional Friday or Saturday night.
Karaoke is good, but we'd like to have more. There [...]
Despite the fact that I said I would not go to any more town council meetings and surround myself with that kind of energy, I attended Monday's meeting.
I sort of feel obligated to attend. I tell Tarboro residents that it is their responsibility to attend the meetings [...]
There's a new group on Facebook.com that's called TARBORO 27886. I didn't start the group. It was created by Steven Brittain, I don't know him personally, but I emailed Steven and asked him to allow me to co-administrate the group so I could add [...]
Yesterday I posted a blog entry.
Today I deleted it.
Blogging about things that make me angry or frustrated is a bad habit. I must stop it.
I'm doing my very best to focus on what we CAN do to make a positive difference in Tarboro, but every now and then' [...]
If I totally ignore everything "official" in Tarboro I'm really a rather upbeat sort of gal, but sometimes it's hard to ignore something that is literally right in front of me (and you).
Have you visited our post office in the last few days?
The first new signal light' [...]
My sweet husband has not been able to kick his nicotine habit and therefore spends time every day, on the porch, smoking and enjoying nature.
Although we live in town it is not uncommon for him to stick his head in the door and hollar for me to [...]
Every month has a 2nd Saturday. In 2008, every 2nd Saturday in Tarboro (from April through December)included a street fair and music festival downtown. In 2009, the 2nd Saturdays are going to be a little different.
We held a Tarboro's 2nd Saturdays planning meeting last night. In preparation of the meeting [...]
We'll be having an important meeting tomorrow in regards to the status of T2S for 2009.
I hand delivered notices to 30 downtown businesses today. The big question is "Do the businesses want Tarboro's 2nd Saturdays to include a downtown street fair and if so, how many are willing (and able)'" [...]
Thanks to Jennifer Price co-owner of the Main Street Cafe', Tarboro now has a new postcard.
Click on Picture to read article from Daily Southerner
We're hoping that visitors and residents will use these pretty mailers to show folks outside of our area some of the highlights of [...]
I must admit we've made some headway in the promotion of Tarboro's Second Saturdays, otherwise known as T2S, I've got folks calling and emailing me almost daily asking about how to be a part of the 2009 events. I'm excited that the concept is working, but there' [...]
Being fairly new to getting things done in a town-wide big scale way I had given some thought to the old "if you can't lick'm, join'm" methodology. Making change from the inside of the local powers that be.
I thought about running for town council. I live in John Jenkins ward' [...]
McGinnis Custom KnivesThis weekend I had a chance to talk with Gerry McGinnis. You may not be familiar with him. He's a young man, just 20 years old, but already he is becoming known for his fabulous hand-crafted knives. McGinnis Custom Knives . A very talented individual' [...]
They are coming to Tarboro. Some of them are already here.
Who are they? They are our new neighbors with new fresh ideas for how things can be done. They are educated, they are intelligent, they are creative, they are open-minded. They live in the now with their thoughts on creating a marvelous [...]
Am I wrong or are we , as a town, trying to attract new residents, create new jobs, revitalize our town?
MY idea is by using and enhancing our existing assets to make Tarboro more appealing to a wider group of possible new residents (and taxpayers).
With the current [...]
Kibbitzer:ki·bitz·er Variant(s): also kib·bitz·er \Λki-bΙt-sΙr, kΙ-Λbit-\
Function: noun : one who looks on and often offers unwanted advice or comment
If you've followed this blog for any length of time you are probably familiar with one visitor to the site who seems to have the ability to find' [...]
Apparently my self-awarded vacation time is coming to an end as the little voice in the back of my head has starting nagging at me to stop being lazy and get things done.
It is not in my nature to sit back and expect someone else to make things happen, so I [...]
Almost every morning I walk from my home in the historic district to my place of business downtown; stopping along the way at the Main Street Cafe' for my cup of coffee and sometimes a "surprise breakfast sandwich" made for me by Michael.
My morning walk is an' [...]
At Monday night's town council meeting Robert Whitehead took his 5 minute opportunity to remind the town that the annual College Round-upwould again be held at the Community College and that approximately 3000 people would be coming to Tarboro from across the state and various' [...]
The core Grassroots members (the movers and shakers of our town) have already begun work on a big project.
Let me digress a bit... since my husband and I bought the old run-down Marrow-Pitt building, 3 and a half years ago, people have asked me what we plan [...]
I recently received a letter from the Edgecombe County CULTURAL Arts Council asking for my continued support for the events that they provide.
Within the letter it was stated that this year's Happening On the Common, sponsored by the Arts Council, will be held on May 16th, [...]
I've been giving a lot of thought to Tarboro's 2nd Saturday. Sometimes my thoughts go directly to doing away with it altogether, but I know that would be like throwing away an entire year of hard work.
What I want to see is more participation by my fellow business owners in [...]
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Don't know if we've been selected by the heavens as the best place to live in North Carolina but that big "X" in the sky sure got MY attention:
Marching with Kazoo Band in the ParadeThe last T2S is behind me. I marched in the parade. I did my follow-up on the Discover Tarboro game. My work for the town of Tarboro is done for the year of 2008.
I think it's time for me to relax, [...]
Last night the town of Tarboro had its first official holiday tree lighting in 30 years and it was wonderful.
There wasn't a huge gathering but the positive energy was high and it felt GREAT to be a part of our beautiful little town. A big thanks goes to Mayor [...]
No need for me to explain the tough economic times, you all know folks are struggling financially. You yourself may be feeling a bit of a bite in the wallet. Many people don't have enough money to pay their bills. Many of the people who do have [...]
Ok, I know I'm supposedly "Ms Idea Lady", but sometimes I even surprise myself. I thought that music was a missing key to the revitalization of our little town, but I may have underestimated its importance.
Yesterday I dragged our sound equipment and new karaoke system to the Riverview Plaza [...]
In my continuing effort to find ways to rebuild a sense of community and restore Tarboro's draw to visitors I've come upon two of the silliest things one might imagine, but indeed the most successful.
The Tarboro Community Kazoo Band, which is a part of each month's Tarboro's 2nd Saturdays event and will [...]
Watch this video...
Today is THE day, so get out and vote!
I'd say that I don't care who you vote for as long as you vote, but that wouldn't be exactly true.
I DO care who you vote for, but the issue isn't about who, it is about casting your ballot, having [...]
Just last week, I was talking with one of the downtown businesses and we heard what sounded like a parade going on outside on Main Street.
Lo and behold, it WAS a parade! I hadn't heard a thing about any parade. She hadn't heard a thing about any [...]
The hoilday season is fast approaching. From now until Christmas it is the time when Tarboro retail businesses are hoping to attract shoppers. This is a very important time for them, for some it will be the season that determines whether they stay in business for another year [...]
I just wanted to share a little story with you about last weekend's event and how things like this can help "grow" Tarboro.
We had a couple of guests in town, who came "all the way from the UK" to experience Tarboro's 2nd Saturdays.
Ok, that's not exactly true, but close [...]
Yesterday's T2S event was exactly the kind of thing we need in Tarboro. To put it simply, it was GREAT!
We had so much going on that I can't fit it all into this blog entry. The food, vendors and artists were great (as usual) and despite the slightly overcast weather, the [...]
I've talked a bit about having a Vision Plan for Tarboro, and judging by the response I got, there are some people in town that don't know what I am talking about.
I'm no Vision Plan expert, so I did what I often do and searched the web for more information.
What I found [...]
There's a lot of talk about how do "we" attract new people to Tarboro. We want new people, new home-owners, new businesses.
I'm a "new" person. My husband and I moved to Tarboro just a little more than 3 years ago. Several others of the Grassroots folks are "new" people in [...]
Today's word is. .
democracy - government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system." In the phrase of Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a government "of the people, by the [...]
I have made a few minor "renovations" to the website. First I cleared out some older posting on the community discussion board, mostly those with no responses or out of date topics.
I also removed some of the comments made to blog entries. I thought about it for quite some [...]
Today's word is: FRUGALITY
Frugality (also known as thrift or thriftiness ) is the practice of acquiring goods and services at minimum cost, resourcefully using already owned economic goods and services, achieved via economical restraints or creative measures. Frugality can be related to the idea of being conservative or conserving [...]
For all of you friends and cat-lovers who voiced your concern when our big grey cat, Mr Shankley was missing, and who expressed your joy and relief when the chubby fellow found his way home. .. you'll enjoy this.
Chris Hardy and his wife, Victoria, came all the way from Gibsonville to [...]
If you've been reading the posts in our Tarboro is Talking / Community Forum you know that our last T2S didn't draw the crowd we expected and certainly didn't draw the audience that the musicians deserved. We had fantastic talented musicians ALL DAY and into the night, but turn-out [...]
Just a quick post, before I head out the door and down to the Courthouse Square for another full fun day at T2S, that's Tarboro's 2nd Saturdays for any of you who may have been living under a rock for the past 6 months!.
We've managed to bring some life [...]
We heard that one of the many things that visitors to Tarboro can do is take a canoe ride down the paddle trail in the Tar River, so today we did just that.
A few weeks ago, my husband and I happened to be at a Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store [...]
I stop into Sam Noble's office at least once a month to drop off paperwork for 2nd Saturdays, but on those rare occasions he hasn't been in. I'd like to sit down and have a brief chat with him, but not really knowing his schedule and work-load I hesitate [...]
I've been thinking about the local economy.
In the summer months, all of us who own retail businesses and eateries in town can tell you that a lot of Tarboro residents leave town. Some leave on the weekends, some leave for the entire summer. When they leave, they take their dollars with [...]
When I'm not writing this blog, or planning a street fair, or running our web-based wholesale business, or trying to renovate our old buildings, or helping with The Unusual Shoppe, I like to mess around with Search Engine Optimization.
For those of you who aren't into the creation [...]
As I was growing up, a little girl in the 1950s, my mother often used the phrase "Don't rock the boat". It was just another of her "rules for fitting in" that went along with the sayings, "Don't make waves", Just accept things as they are", "Don't cause any trouble", [...]
Where is Tarboro going to be in 10 years? 20 years? 50 years?
Does anyone in an official capacity have a clear vision of what we want Tarboro to be?
We know what Tarboro WAS. Tarboro used to be a thriving town. People tell me all of the time about what [...]
At Monday night's town council meeting, Latham Jenkins gave the preview of the new town website and showed us all the videos he had created to catch the viewers attention and help to promote our town.
He showed how he had posted the videos on youtube.com and stated that he hoped that others with Tarboro websites would embed [...]
He was missing for over a week and caused a great number of people to fret over his safety and well-being.
I have good news! Today Mr. Shankley returned to The Unusual Shoppe, hungry but in good condition.
If he could talk, he would tell us of his adventure, and [...]
I thought that tonight's town council meeting would be interesting and it WAS!
As we took our seats we had no idea what we were about to witness and apparently neither did the council members.
Mr Robert Freuler, who had written a letter to the editor of the Daily [...]
Today, the Daily Southerner posted a humorous story. Well, not exactly humorous but it did make me laugh.
Town manager sold Mom's van to town (Conflict of interest?).
Why is it that when Sam Noble, sells an old van to the town for less than he could sell it to someone [...]
In just a couple of days, our fifth Tarboro's 2nd Saturdays event will take place in downtown Tarboro.
I must admit that when I came up with the idea of a monthly event I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. I wouldn't say that planning this monthly [...]
I don't usually post personal issues on this blog, but Mr Shankley is MISSING!
A resident of our building in downtown Tarboro, Mr Shankley can usually be seen lounging on one of the glass display cases in The Unusual Shoppe. Today he is GONE and we need your help to find [...]
A 17-year old "friend" of mine on myspace posted this video on the bulletin board for everyone to watch.
If a "kid" can care about the future of the planet, shouldn't you?
If you'd like to order canvas shopping bags, here is a company with good prices [...]
I know that not everyone in Tarboro reads the Daily Southerner, so I just have to share this recent article with you (click to read):
COUNCIL GIVES ITSELF 33% RAISE
What is happening here? I'm stunned. I try not to see our town officials as the stereotypical "Good ol' Boys [...]
Let's have some fun and promote our town, too. The Rocky Mount Telegram is running a contest to determine THE BEST IN THE AREA for a wide variety of categories. 
Follow this LINK or go to www.RockyMountTelegram.com and click on the box that says "And the Winner is", then [...]
Ok, this may be "stupid question time", but bear with me. Every now and then in my exploration of the vast world outside of the box, I find myself wondering about things that seem very simple on the surface, but probably have deep complicated layers of which I am unaware.
[...]
It may not be easy being GREEN, but many good things in life are not easy.
With the rising cost of gasoline, the concerns over global warming, and our electric bills set to increase by 13.2% as of August 1st, we would be stupid if we didn't explore [...]
Recently the Clockwork Cabaret brought Steampunk entertainment from the Carrboro/Chapel Hill area to downtown Tarboro. In an interview following their visit the darling Davenport sisters, Emmett and Klaude, talked about how receptive the people of Tarboro were to the unfamiliar neo-victorian genre. The performing duo along [...]
During this past weekend's 2nd Saturdays event I came to a realization.
I wondered why we did not have more people attending the event. We had a nice crowd, but not a huge crowd and certainly not even a quarter of the people who live in Tarboro and [...]
There was a posting in the Tarboro is Talking section of this website that I thought might be better responded to here.
"What is happening is the Good old boy system is not working and the older folks are not wanting to change I say looking back [...] Yes, all I can think about lately is Tarboro's 2nd Saturdays. I apologize that my blogging has taken a back seat to planning these monthly events, but I think I'll get a system going pretty soon and it will all be a lot easier.
Speaking of back seats... the pedicab (bicycle [...]
If any of you attended the Cantaloupe Festival yesterday in Tarboro, you know it was HOT! Too hot for the vendors and way too hot for the crowds who huddled under any small patch of shade they could find.
So .... this, of course, got me looking for [...]
Buddy Hooks from the Arts Council emailed me in response to my T2S meeting reminder. He let me know that there will be a FREE ice cream social at the Blount Bridgers house this evening at 7:00pm.
I hadn't heard a thing about it and I live across [...]
This Saturday, June 28th, Tarboro will host the 2nd annual Eastern Carolina Cantaloupe Festival.
It promises to be lots of fun with more food, more music, blow-up rides for the kids, contests, arts & crafts vendors. The town closes off a section of Saint Andrew Street and [...]
We've been looking for some recognition for our pretty little town, and recently we got it!
Tarboro was chosen as one of the top 3 Fit Communities in North Carolina! (Here's more from the Daily Southerner ).
As for attracting those pesky retirees, I think we're on [...]
What is going on in Tarboro? I'm asking you because I've been so wrapped up in taking care of the T2S event that I haven't had time to chew the fat and hear what everybody's talking about.
I often wonder what is going on in other parts of town. I know my neighborhood [...]
It took me quite awhile to catch on to the benefits of myspace.com.
It may be a sign of being over 50 and of being not as "cool" as I think I am, because for the longest time I thought myspace was for kids. I thought it [...]
I'm proud to call Tarboro my home.
Yesterday, we had our third monthly Tarboro's 2nd Saturday event and it just reinforced my feelings that when it comes to folks who understand community, we've got the best of the best right here in our little town.
Despite high [...]
The second Monday of every month is the date of the monthly Tarboro town council meeting.
I go simply to be informed. I don't have an agenda, just a curiosity and an interest in the town.
At last night's meeting there was a presentation by Jesse Tilton of ElectriCities. [...]
With ten days to go before Tarboro's 2nd Saturday for June, I'm feeling that little pinch of anxiety that occurs when one in charge of planning is not quite certain HOW everything will fall into place in such a short period of time.
The orderly, organized, stress-producing side of [...]
Last Saturday for our 