Wally Decker
Thursday November 7th News
After an unforeseen decision from the Interactive Resource Center to stop overnight hours right as the cold temperatures arrive, the City of Greensboro scrambled to come up with a new plan. Their new approach is to get several organizations involved to still meet the need. In total, there will be four churches involved, including Grace Community Church. Each church will offer a few beds to help out the homeless population overnight. The current shelters are at capacity, and this new program will offer 57 new beds every night all winter long.
The Greensboro Police Department has been awarded a federal grant for roughly $3.7 million that will allow them to hire 30 additional law enforcement officers — and that’s not all. Since 2020, GPD’s staffing has ebbed and flowed…
at one point, they needed more than 100 officers to fill their staff. Now, they’ve reduced vacancies to just 13 unfilled positions. Chief John Thompson has been at the helm for almost two years come December, but he was faced with steep challenges when he took the job. Now, he’s starting to see the results of hard work to recruit and retain officers.
Since Helene has come and gone, those trying to get back to normal have gone from needing electricity and water to winter clothes, camping equipment, space heaters and propane. Jonathan Coleman, Senior Director of Communications at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, says organizations in the mountains have started reaching out to them directly with a list of primary needs. 25 tractor-trailers of donations have been collected in the past four plus weeks, amounting to roughly 650 pallets of food, water, clothes, propane tanks, etc. While Wednesday was their last official donation drop-off, they’re hoping people will continue to support those who are hurting.
American Red Cross Blood Drives for Today:
The Crossing Church – North Main Campus, Kernersville – 3:00—7:00pm
Mount Pisgah Church in Greensboro – 2:30—7:00pm
The National Park Service said they have restored access to about 11 miles of the parkway near Asheville. The section of the parkway that has reopened is from milepost 382.5 at US 70 near the Folk Art Center to milepost 393.6 at NC Route 191 near the NC Arboretum, including the French Broad Overlook at milepost 393.8. The National Park Service said they do not have projected opening dates for areas of the parkway north and south of the 11-mile section. There are still ongoing roadway and roadside damage evaluations and significant debris removal happening north of US 70 and south of NC Route 191.
High Point Public Services Director Robby Stone says the city is currently evaluating what services they provide. Stone says yard waste and bulk collection will now operate on an alternating bi-weekly schedule instead of weekly. One Customer said, “If it’s going to be every two weeks. It’s going to be pretty bad, because right now everywhere you go, you see the cans overflowing. It’s already like that, and some people have multiple cans already.” Customers simply fear that the added week of waiting for pickup is going to create more unsightly and unhealthy conditions.
WBFJ Family Station Forecast
Today: Mostly Sunny … High near 80
Tonight: Mostly Cloudy … Low 62
Tomorrow: Cloudy to start then Mostly Sunny … High 78
