021397x.log

West End Happenings
When the definitive history of the world is written, the 1997 annual meeting of the West End Neighborhood Association will not be included. Nevertheless, it was a significant event for the association and the neighborhood. Attendance was better than usual. Many voices were heard. The YWCA was an excellent location. All who were there got to see the new pool and exercise machines. Our thanks go to Ty Rice of the YWCA staff for an informative tour of the new areas.

Justice Delayed
Many of you recall that the reading of the OJ verdict was delayed for a few hours. The stated reason was to allow the participants in the trial to assemble in the court room. Most folks found this a stretch, especially when OJ and the Goldmans and the Browns got to the courthouse in about one hour. Most folks thought Big Television had reared its ugly head, forcing the judge to hold off until the President finished his speech. This cynical conclusion gained support when the verdict was announced when Clinton finished but before the poor Republican started his "rebuttal." Why even Tom Brokaw called him "O. J. Watts." This was all quite plausible but not quite true. The real reason for the delay, according to reliable sources, was not to give President Clinton a break but to give one to the West End Association. You see, it was our annual meeting and President Vaughan was giving his State of the Neighborhood address. It ended at 9 p.m. The verdict was announced after the West Enders got home from the YWCA. Thank you, Judge Fujisaki.

The nominating committee's proposed slate of officers and board members was approved unanimously. They are:

1996-97 Term	1997-98 Term
Allen and Laura Burrows 727-0698 834 Carolina Avenue	Bert Benton and Gordon Sparber 770-0117 118 Piedmont Ave. 725-5416
Nancy Dawson and Joe Sauser 725-4426 643 N. Spring Street	Laura and Eric Elliott 724-4913 1219 Forsyth Street
Craig and Kim Dishner 761-0746 1404 Brookstown Avenue	John Hauser 631-8760 1008 West End Blvd
Carolyn Moore and Adam Whitehead 748-8112 855 W. 6th. Street	Bill and Sara Legard 722-5173 655 N. Spring Street
Mary Ann Sevick and Nick Kefal 725-9235 122 Piedmont Avenue	Kathy Otterbourg 724-5416 1201 Clover Street
Diane Winebrenner 722-4654 1413 Brookstown Avenue	Meg Zulick and Andrew Leslie 725-2377 101 West End Blvd

Tour of Homes Report
Treasurer Mike Hill reported the final figures from the 1996 Tour of Homes, showing a "profit" of approximately $2,800.00. Laura Burrows suggested that the association develop a specific use for the money raised by the tour.

Monthly Newsletter
Whether or not to go from a monthly to a quarterly newsletter was brought up for discussion at the annual meeting. Though no formal action was taken, it appeared that the monthly newsletter was heavily favored. There are approximately 500 copies of the newsletter printed each month. The association uses its bulk mail permit to send the newsletter to members, public officials and others. The editor appreciates the suggestions offered at the annual meeting, especially the idea that the newsletter should be hand-delivered twice each year to the entire neighborhood in the same manner that the annual meeting announcement was distributed.

Strolling
A stroll though the streets of West End is a good experience. Not only is it good exercise but it is also informative. It's not a bad idea to walk a little beyond the neighborhood's "official" boundaries. These excursions disclose the great potential of the city. Walk from West End to Old Salem. What you will see is a significant rehabilitation effort in the Holly Avenue neighborhood. By the time you get to Old Salem you will see the new construction off Marshall Street. The eastern view from the Poplar Street ridge spans downtown and Old Salem. The dawn may not "come up like thunder" for those folks who live on that ridge but it has to be exciting.

"Greater West End"
Speaking of venturing outside the neighborhood boundary, there's a new phrase in the air: "Greater West End." Just how far Greater West End goes is hard to tell. So far the evidence is limited to the Rainbow Newsstand and Cafe at the corner of Broad and Brookstown. The Rainbow has reopened. Its hours are 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. In addition to the excellent food, the Rainbow provides a kaleidoscope of entertainment. Live music is featured from 7-9 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Weston Hammond has put together at the Rainbow an exhibit of art and artifacts recovered from the Winston Apartments. On April 17, there will be a Fools of April poetry festival.

Jack Atkins, a Holly Avenue neighborhood resident, was honored with a "Downtown Excellence Award" by the Central Winston-Salem Association for his renovation efforts. Atkins oversaw the painting of nine properties. He is the former supervisor of the Prodigals Community paint crew. He has rehabbed ten rental units, making a major contribution to the improvement in the Holly Avenue neighborhood.

Ye Olde Sears Revisited
A project of interest to West End and Holly Avenue is the impending construction of a City parking deck in the 600 block of West Fourth Street. This deck was presented to the West End board as an important element in the expansion of the Wachovia facility at the corner of Fourth and Broad streets. Though the rebricking of the Ye Olde Sears Building is completed, the parking deck is stuck on the drawing board. The Holly Avenue folks aren't too thrilled over the size of the deck. Neither do they want the traffic generated by the deck to be dumped on Holly Avenue. In any event, it is unlikely that the deck will be open before Wachovia has Ye Old Sears up and running again.

West End International
Things aren't perfect but they are getting better almost every place you look. If you look hard enough you can see the changes at Petree Stockton's West Fourth Street complex. The law firm has merged with an Atlanta-based firm-- Kilpatrick & Cody. The outward result is the name change on the firm's signs. The new entity is Kilpatrick Stockton, with over 370 attorneys. In addition to the West End office, the firm has lawyers in Atlanta and Augusta, Charlotte, Raleigh, Washington, London and Brussels. The merger is really a big deal, the largest between law firms in the southeast in the last six years. The Wall Street Journal calls the new firm a "powerhouse stretching from Atlanta's burgeoning suburbs to North Carolina's technology-rich Research Triangle." Wonder what would have happened had the old Zinzendorf Hotel not burned down?

Weaver Construction has moved a field-office trailer onto the Gladstone Apartments property and has put up a billboard that would look better off Business 40. Hopefully, the remodeling job won't take long.

The March West End Board meeting will be at the home of Missy and Jim Vaughan, 814 West End Boulevard, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 4, 1997. Every one is invited.