BCR's Daily Fishwrap Report for February 20, 2009 (lite edition)

Besides the brief updates below, we're putting the Fishwrap on hiatus for a few days, to focus scarcer-than-usual blogging time on original reporting while we catch up with other life commitments. Look for its full-fledged return likely in the near future.

Though, in the interim, I'd welcome your feedback in the Comments section: is the Fishwrap useful? A helpful wrap-up of news? Or stuff you're surfing the H-S and other publications to read anyway?

Today's Herald-Sun mostly features stories we've talked about here at BCR this week, but some updates on them:

• The City Council at Thursday's work session reportedly suggested a willingness to consider the elimination of a primary election for Council seats. According to the H-S account, the biggest concern seems to be the flood-of-candidates scenario we painted here earlier this week. Look for the subject to come up for public input on March 2, with a vote that night or March 16. (H-S)
• Council also "reluctantly" supported the move to redirect funding for the acquisition of the Duke Diet & Fitness Center (old Trinity Ave. Y) to the greater-than-expected costs of fixing up the Durham Centre parking deck -- with an additional revelation that new Centre owner Craig Davis Properties has been mulling a lawsuit against the city for not meeting its obligation to maintain a "class A" deck for the tower. (H-S)
• St. Louis-based McCormack Baron Salazar is under the gun for not moving forward with funding and executing planning for the future of Rolling Hills even as the City is committing up to $6 million -- and likely more -- to acquire back the sometimes-in-disrepair homes on the site. (H-S)

Comments

[jacob]

I really like your newspaper summaries, since it relieves me of having to read the H-S or N&O. I come here to see what's news and save myself a lot of time.

[Scott Harmon]

Kevin, the fishwraps are really helpful. More than once, you've helped me see an important story that I would have missed. You also support good reporting and point out bad reporting in the papers, and I think reading the papers through your critical eye is a huge plus of your blog. Thanks for your excellent contributions!

[KW]

It's become an essential part of my morning rotation. A one-stop grab for all things local.

That said, I can understand that it would become quite a chore to have to undertake it every single day. As you know, some ways other blogs get around this is to split up a daily recurring feature amongst a handful of contributors. Barry would seem to be the logical first alternate.

[DBL]

The Fishwrap helps me to stay on top of, and share with others, articles that are important and interesting.

It also helps to keep me informed on articles that I wouldn't normally read past the title.

You are providing a valuable service to the community. Your efforts are very much appreciated!

[Shady Durham]

Take care we will be here when you get back!

[Phil]

I appreciate the H-S summaries because their website is so annoying, I can hardly stand to visit.

And of course I also appreciate your analysis and summary of what you consider important for your readers.

The Daily Fishwrap is very fast reading, too.

[Todd]

Kevin,
I like the Fishwrap a lot - I would miss some local stories otherwise.

As far as today's goes, Durham is spending $8 million on a relatively new parking deck that is falling down due to poor maintenance. Durham is also spending $6 million on Rolling Hills, which has failed time and time again for various reasons, including poorly chosen contractors and lack of follow up by the City.

$14 million - money that would not have needed to be spent if proper maintenance and follow up had been happening. No wonder there is a 60 year backlog of street paving.

Why don't we expect/demand better results from local government?

[durhamwalkingdog]

FR is great, particularly as a forum for comments

[Paul]

I like the fishwrap. I don't go to the the Herald Sun or N&O any more unless I link to see the full article you reference. Mostly I just read your recap. Maybe I'm just lazy.

[Fishwrap Rules]

Long Live Fishwrap! :)

[James]

Include me in the users who love the Fishwrap and visits daily.

[nik]

GO GO Fishwrap

[Dan S.]

@Phil: The easy way around the H-S's annoying (pronounced: awful) website is to take the URL (page address) and put "cache:" in place of the "http://" and enter that into Google's search field.

No registration, no marketing demographics, no mess.

[luvdafish]

"me too!" on fishwrap

[CrackedOutNewsboy]

as someone who has to collate news for their organization, I know what a monumental pain in the ass it can be, and what a responsibility it is: it's just waiting there for you every morning regardless of whether you are rushed, feel good or feel like crap... but, it is really so useful and helps put all the other posts here in perspective against the context of what else is going on in our dear town. And it's all about priorities and dividing resources, don't you know?

It is such a time sucker, though, I know. Have you ever considered getting some readers to volunteer to help with that task, or to serve as back-up when your life commitments call to lessen the pressure a little?

[Shady Durham]

It's not just a fitness center, It is a community center. A place that can improve the quality of life of INDIVIDUALS. They are worried about lawsuits from a business? That should never be a motivation to take money set aside TWO years ago and put it in a failed parking deck. Did you not notice that Raleigh built a brand new deck about the same size right by the court house for half of what they are asking!

Mr.. Farad-- what are you doing? You have to fight for this one. This is YOUR neighborhood... Stop fighting for Rolling hills and fight for your own community. Look out the window in the morning and count the speeders, and think about how much money that can make the city.
We all expected this out of Tom. He Is just an administrator, an accountant... not a visionary. He lacks an imagination, look at his ties. BORING YAWN....... But Mr. Farad, you have style and imagination. Tom is just a pawn that can balance our books, but he needs to have someone tell him what to do. This time he is listening to some jerk management company.
I didn't want to pick on Tom, but he just crossed the line.

[Moe Rivera]

:( I love the fishwrap.

[Michael Bacon]

I'm still really wondering about demolishing the west half of the deck. Can someone alert NIS and call it a nuisance property?

[Dave W]

The fishwrap is great!

[Kevin Davis]

Thanks, all, for the feedback on the Fishwrap. Glad to hear it's of value -- it'll be back shortly, hopefully Monday. (To KW's suggestion: more coming on this front in the next few months....)

[Nancy K.]

I find the Fishwrap very useful. Can't read the H-S online or anywhere after they so shockingly mistreated our Durhamites in their takeover/ruination of a decent newspaper. So I appreciate finding Durham news here. Please keep it up!

[John Jacob Jingle Hymer Schmidt]

I am beholden to the Fishwraps

[Julie]

This is my first time commenting, but I want to say that I would be lost without the fishwrap report. I am so so thankful you do this. I know others that read as well.

[David Stein]

I am clearly in the minority on the fishwrap. Kevin, since your time is limited and I find I can effectively scan the Herald-Sun and N&O online in about two minutes, I would greatly prefer the extra value of your reporting and commentary instead of the summaries.

[Toby]

Keep the fishwrap, if possible! How 'bout getting an intern from Duke's journalism dept to help out with it?

[Erik]

Not sure that's such a good idea considering Duke has no presence in the post (wait for it, wait for it...boom goes the dynamite!).