Steve Mensing, Editor
♦ Rowan County and especially its county seat Salisbury are struggling with major poverty. When I first opened Salisbury’s eyes to the “Wall Street 24/7″ story on Salisbury’s 5th ranked 28% soaring poverty (now 25% poverty according to the U.S. Census Bureau), I heard from Salisbury’s deniers: “Oh he’s just making this up–he’s a Salisbury hater”. Same thing happened when I posted Salisbury’s FBI crime stats clearly demonstrating Salisbury is a dangerous place–every inch of it night or day. “Oh he’s just making it up. We don’t have any gangs, we don’t have any break-ins, people don’t get assaulted on the streets, nobody gets murdered here, we didn’t even have a train robbery. He’s just mean. He’s a Salisbury hater.” And when we posted the Rowan-Salisbury Schools ABC Report Card composite scores and more recently the State Education READY Report’s composite scores for each school inside of Salisbury, we heard Salisbury’s deniers bleating: “He’s just making it up–he’s a Salisbury hater. He’s so mean.”
No apologies folks–I love reality even when its harsh and painful. Without being conscious of it, you become a victim and are unprepared to deal and create solutions or replicate what’s already working. You can’t fix something if you don’t recognize its broken. Salisbury is shattered. It requires major surgery and there’s no guarantee it can be brought back to life. Sorry, but most burgs that sport Salisbury’s stats never make a comeback.
One thing easy to notice in the culture of “8 block” is its over reliance on “willful ignorance” and denial. It’s likely the main reason why so many dwelling in the Bury struggle with “acceptable alcoholism” or king heroin, meth, or crack addiction and avoid uncomfortable subjects. Please notice where willful ignorance and denial got Salisbury. Maybe try some smelling salts before you look.
It doesn’t take much awareness to realize how outside businesses, retail, and industries perceive the “Bury”. They do look at your statistics and then look elsewhere.
If anyone really desires to do economic development in the Bury, you mostly have to do it “home grown” for starters. Previously I’ve written about the immense value of home grown cooperative businesses, retail, and industries. I’ve also written about the Tiny House movement in America. Today I’m going to post a new article from Zillow.com about “Tiny Houses”.
At present it appears those Historic Preservation Tax Credits will missing in action after the lawmakers go home. The “tiny house” movement, through a homegrown cooperatives utilizing area workers trained at a “Tiny House” incubator, could become an industry here. And lest we forget Salisbury has experienced carpenters facing time on their hands since historic preservation renovation work will dry up.
Here’s our last article on the “Tiny House” movement:
Here’s an article by Catherine Sherman about “Tiny Houses” in Seattle:
http://www.zillow.com/blog/living-tiny-seattle-couple-175453/
A May 4th article in the New York Times mentioning Rowan County’s poverty and it affects on youth’s upward mobility. Simply insert Rowan County, N.C. into the empty slot. Know that Salisbury’s poverty drags down Rowan County’s poverty statistics:
