Up & Coming Weekly

4 UCW DECEMBER 2-8, 2009 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM PUBLISHER Bill Bowman bbowman@upandcomingweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERS Janice Burton Joy Kirkpatrick editor@upandcomingweekly.com STAFF WRITER Stephanie Crider stephanie@upandcomingweekly.com MARKETING/SALES Tabitha Kidd tabitha@upandcomingweekly.com OFFICE MANAGER Suzy Patterson suzy@upandcomingweekly.com –––––––––––––– GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alicia Miller art@upandcomingweekly.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Soni Martin, D.G. Mar tin, Pitt Dick ey, Margaret Dickson, Bob Cogswell, John Hood, Shanessa Fenner, Erinn Crider, Shannen Dill, Karen Poppele, Takeema Hoffman –––––––––––– Up & Coming Weekly www.upandcomingweekly.com 208 Rowan Street P.O. Box 53461 Fayetteville, NC 28305 PHONE: (910) 484-6200 FAX: (910) 484-9218 Up & Coming Weekly is a "Quality of Life" publication with local features, news and infor- mation on what's happening in and around the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Up & Coming Weekly is published weekly on Wednesdays. Up & Coming Weekly welcomes manuscripts, photographs and artwork for publication consideration, but assumes no responsibility for them. We cannot accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or material. Opinions expressed by contributors do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or reject copy submitted for publication. Up & Coming Weekly is free of charge and distributed at indoor and outdoor locations throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force Base, Hope Mills and Spring Lake. Readers are limited to one copy per per- son. Subscriptions can be purchased for $30 for six months or $60 for 12 months, delivered weekly by first class mail. ©2007 by F&B Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of editorial or advertisements without permission is strictly prohibited. STAFF Internet Directory ............................ 12 Calendar ........................................... 18 Concert Connection ........................ 24 TV ..................................................... 26 Movie Review .................................. 28 Movie Schedule ............................... 29 Free Wheelin' Feelin' ....................... 30 News of the Weird ........................... 31 Horoscopes/Advice Goddess ......... 31 Classifieds ........................................ 32 Games .............................................. 34 Dining Guide .................................... 35 INSIDE Pole Sign Removal: Bad Idea and Bad for Business by BILL BOWMAN BILL BOWMAN, Publisher COMMENTS? Bill@upandcomingweekly.com. PUBLISHER'S PEN When Tim White, editorial page editor for our daily newspaper, wrote about his visit to a beautiful "new" development where the lovely appear- ance of the community was the result of strict and controlled development and landscaping ordinances, I knew im- mediately we would again be con- fusing the current pole sign issue and comparing "apples to oranges" when it came to discussing and debating the issue. The key word above is "new" development. Sure, anything is possible when you are starting out from scratch building a community and the expec- tations are dictated. However, the Fayetteville community is a mature community and going back and ask- ing businesses to remove their pole signs is as silly and irresponsible as thinking that their removal will even make a difference. Come on, folks! Surely, we are better than this and smarter than this. Why is it when it comes to important local issues that require common sense and logic that our civic and governmental leaders (and media) feel compelled to demon- strate that we have none? Want proof? Easy. Get in your car and drive down Raeford Road, Skibo Road, Bragg Boulevard, Murchinson Road or especially Yadkin Road. Imagine all the pole signs advertising local busi- nesses are all removed. Gone. Now, what do you have left? Only thousands upon thousands of miles of the ugliest mishmash of utility poles, pole- mounted transformer boxes and electri- cal wires all crisscrossing the roads and thoroughfares like a crazy spider beat our streets and community with an ugly stick. I appreciate the work of the Fayetteville Planning Committee, but surely it realizes that we are a retail- driven community. Businesses, mostly small businesses, have invested heavily in local economic development. Asking them to remove the very vehicles that drive commerce to their businesses and to our community is counterproductive, especially, in view of many other more feasible options. No doubt everyone wants beautiful gateways into our city and more attrac- tive communities. I certainly do. How- ever, this goal must be pursued without crippling local commerce. We should be thinking of creative ways to include these same businesses in the beautifi ca- tion process. Why not come up with a positive and progressive plan that would benefi t everyone? For instance, a partnership between the city, county, PWC and local businesses that would bury telephone and power lines underground creating a more attractive community. This would be good for business and a win, win, win for all concerned. Regardless, just removing pole signs is NOT the answer to making our community more pleasing to the eye. The Fayetteville/Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce needs to speak out on this issue. Where is our white knight? Small businesses need an advo- cate in their corner now more than ever. More than 90 percent of Chamber mem- bers are small businesses. Eventually, the Chamber will have to weigh in on this issue. It is our hope that it will be sooner rather than later. The clock is ticking. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. What's your opinion? Contact me personally at bbowman@ upandcomingweekly.com or call 484 6200. We would love to hear from you.

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