Greensboro Residents Can Still Get Rental or Mortgage Assistance under the CARES Act

The City of Greensboro wants you to know that if you are behind on your rent or mortgage payments because your household has been affected by COVID-19, financial assistance is still available from funds provided by the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act. Of the $5.5 million awarded by the federal government, over $3 million has been earmarked to help residents with housing assistance.

The timeframe, which previously was only between April 1st-June30th of last year, has been extended, and applications are still being taken. So if your rent or mortgage payments have been behind by at least one month since last April, you could qualify for assistance under the CARES act. 

Qualified Greensboro residents can apply for up to $1500 in assistance to pay a mortgage or up to $1900 to pay rent and utilities. Assistance is available as a one-time payment or as three monthly payments. 

To learn more and to apply online, go to www.greensboro-nc.gov/CARESHousingAssistance . 

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/architecture-family-house-front-yard-1836070/

First Friday Events in Downtown Greensboro for June 7, 2019

It's a new month—time for another First Friday, a downtown Greensboro tradition featuring live music, art happenings, and special events. The current forecast for this coming Friday evening is low 70s, with a possibly of isolated showers later (after 8pm). Looks like great temperatures for walking around; maybe have a light jacket handy. If things get wet, you can always pop into one of the many venues that are set on entertaining you for the evening!

This month's events and locations:

Aspen Boutique – 227 S. Elm Street (across from Triad Stage) will be featuring beach-scene necklaces handmade by Huntersville, NC artist Rosa Muro, and singer and guitarist Ben Singer will be at the boutique playing live. Come sip some wine, listen, and browse, and while you're there, ask about the upcoming yoga class on Saturday, June 15^th . https://www.facebook.com/AspenGSO/

beerthirty Crafts on Tap – 505 N. Greene Street (between Smith and Paisley) – will feature live music from 7pm-10pm by Bruce Drake and Brooke Johnson, known as Starstruck Acoustic Duo. They are a local band who play all over the Triad and perform hits from Tom Petty, Pink, Adele, Little Big Town, The Outfield, Kelly Clarkson, Fleetwood Mac and many more! Also the bottle cap artwork of house artist Mike Valle of ReCaps will be on display and for sale, as well as pieces by local artists Laurie Mendenhall and Helen Palmenteri. https://www.facebook.com/beerthirtygso/

Center for Visual Arts (CVA) –200 N. Davie Street will hold its annual 100 for 100 fundraiser from 6-9pm. This year, CVA's annual art fundraiser will feature one-of-a-kind artworks created by notable local artists Hillary Clement, John Gall, Cindy Hawkes, Jack Stratton, Jasmine Best, Krystal Hart, Nancy Radtke, Amy Gordon, and many others. Every piece is 10"x10" and costs only $100. The event is free to attend and will feature special entertainment by dancers, the Moving Canvas interactive art display, and more.

Elsewhere – 606 S. Elm Street (near intersection with Lewis St) – It's Pride month, and Elsewhere is hosting a celebration of Pride and the 50^th anniversary of Stonewall. The Living Museum will showcase and screen selected works by past LGBTQIA+ residents. Suggested admission $5.

GreenHill Gallery – 200 N. Davie Street (in the Greensboro Cultural Center, across from CVA, above) Walk-through tour of “Bliss”, Kristen Baumlier-Faber’s installation on salty, sweet and fatty foods, from 6:00-6:30pm, live music by classically trained guitarist, Stephanie Arcos, from 6:30-7:30, and at 7:30, Art Alliance instructors will share about their mini-exhibition "Influence," on view in GreenHill's shop. Suggested donation for entry. Cash bar available. More info at www.GreenHillNC.org/SWEET

Greensboro Children's Museum - (across from the Main Library) - Climb on XXL Neptune Climbers, build forts in Imagination Station and more at the Greensboro Children's Museum for just $3 per person from 5:00- 8:00pm. Kona Ice of Greensboro will be at the Museum selling sweet treats!

Greensboro Downtown Yoga - 219 Summit Avenue (between E Lindsay and N Church, next to former location of the Flat Iron) will host a First Friday Fundraiser to benefit Jan's Animal Rescue! Brittany Carty will lead this fun and relaxing Friday evening yoga class for beginners and seasoned yogis alike. To get a spot in the class, you can donate ANY amount you choose; all proceeds will go to Jan's Animal Rescue in Greensboro! Jan's Animal Rescue "helps dogs and cats go from life-threatening situations to a loving home" in the Greensboro area. https://www.jansanimalrescue.org/

Oscar Oglethorpe - 226 S. Elm Street (next to Triad Stage and across from Aspen, above) will partner with Reconsidered Goods to host a fun and free DIY workshop for all ages. Participate from 5pm-8pm on First Friday to learn how to make super cute felt succulents, either to take home or to become part of a permanent display in the store. Materials as well as snacks and drinks will be provided; just bring your creativity!

Preyer Brewing - 600 Battleground Avenue (next to Crafted: The Art of Street Food and across from Deep Roots Market) will host First Friday Jazz, featuring Wally West, Kevin Timmons, and Will "MoBetta" Ledbetter. In addition, Western Guilford High School Jazz Ensemble will be having a CD release party! They'll have CDs for sale as a fundraising effort for the music program at WGHS, and musicians from the WGHS Stinger Jazz Ensemble will be performing in several small configurations during the evening. Admission is free.

Downtown Greensboro is happening, and even moreso on First Fridays, so bring your family and friends for a fun-filled evening of food, spirits, creativity, and entertainment this Friday, June 7^th!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/brushes-painter-work-shop-bowl-3129361/

Greensboro Youth Council Now Collecting Prom Dresses, Suits, and Accessories for Camille's Closet, Theo's Threads

Spring is nearing, and that means prom season in Guilford County is coming up soon! Guilford County high school students will be excitedly making plans, but some kids in need may be afraid they won't be able to attend their prom because they can't afford a proper suit or dress.

That's where Guilford Youth Council (GYC) steps in to help. GYC will be collecting donations of gently-used formal wear and accessories from February 25th through March 31st. Through the programs Camille's Closet and Theo's Threads, the donated items will provide much-appreciated prom attire for any Guilford County high school student in need.

Items most in need are: 

• Plus size dresses - sizes 16 and up
• Dress shirts and pants
• Shoes - all sizes for both young men and women
• Accessories - purses, ties, and jewelry 

Items can be dropped off at the following locations: 

    Location                                 Address                      Drop-Off Times

 Brown Rec Center                     302 E. Vandalia Rd.        M-F, 2-10pm

 Greensboro Cultural Center       200 N. Davie St.             M-F, 9am-9pm

 Griffin Rec Center                     5301 Hilltop Rd.             M-F, 8am-9pm

 Leonard Rec Center                  6324 Ballinger Rd.          M-F, 2-9pm

 Lewis Rec Center                      3110 Forest Lawn Dr.     M-F, 9am-10pm

 Lindley Rec Center                    2907 Springwood Sr.      M-F, 2-10pm

 Polliwogs Children's Boutique    1724 Battleground Ave.   M-Sat,10am-5:30pm

Have a gorgeous formal dress that you probably won't wear again? Donate it to Camille's Closet and give it new life as a pretty gown for a young lady to wear to her senior prom! And guys, if you have some nice shirts, suits, ties, or dress shoes, please donate them to Theo's Threads and let a young man escort his date in style! 

Pop-up shops will be open April 11-13. For guidelines about donations, pop-up shop hours and locations and other info, call 336-373-4351 or visit https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/CamillesCloset

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/photos/people-couple-suit-coat-flower-2583613/

Greensboro’s 9th Annual Run 4 the Greenway a Smashing Success with "Go Green" Theme

Held this year on Saturday, October 27^th at Morehead Park on the Downtown Greenway, the Run 4 the Greenway event featured both a one-mile-long costumed walk/run and “doggie jog” and a four-mile-long road race, with routes that wound around downtown Greensboro, past water stations and cheering crowds, to Morehead Park, where an awards ceremony followed. There was also a costume contest, with prizes for the best adult, kid, and dog costumes, to add to the fun! It all culminated in a big party, with music, entertainment, kid’s activities, and food. There was even a beer garden available for the adult guests.

This year’s theme was ‘Go Green’sboro, incorporating environmentally-friendly features. One of the corporate sponsors was Unifi Manufacturing, Inc., a company headquartered in Greensboro that recycles plastic bottles into polyester yarn called REPREVE (more info on REPREVE here: https://repreve.com/ ). It can be used to make all sorts of things, including the t-shirts that were given to runners and volunteers for the event. Each shirt contained five water bottles’ worth of recycled PET plastic, and was wonderfully soft and comfy, with a great design and colors, as you can see from the picture. Unifi also provided a big green recycling bin where people could exchange their water bottles for environmentally-friendly, reusable stainless steel straws provided by Brooks Pierce, a local law firm. Everyone was getting in on the green action!

The Greenway is a planned four-mile loop of pedestrian and biking trails around downtown Greensboro that features public art and some nice green spaces for people to enjoy while getting some fresh air and exercise. It is partially completed, and recently a new section opened along Bragg Street between Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Five Points, where Freeman Mill Road meets Gate City Blvd. The trail continues through Morehead Park up to Spring Garden Street. There is also a section open in the northern part of the loop, along Smith, Eugene, and Fisher Streets between Spring and Greene Streets, around LoFi Park. 

Laura Lorenz, Downtown Greenway Assistant & Campaign Manager and Run 4 the Greenway Race Director, reported that with over 250 runners, walkers, and party-goers, it was a great event, and she is looking forward to next year's event, which will feature new race routes and a new location. Looks like we're keepin' it fresh as well as keepin' it green! Here is the link for the Greenway project website: http://downtowngreenway.org/

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Photograph provided courtesy of Unifi Manufacturing, Inc. 

Important Voting Dates - Take Note and Vote, Greensboro!

We always focus on what's good in Greensboro, and voting is very good, indeed! From the State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement, here are the most important dates on the calendar for this year's election:

5:00 p.m. Friday, October 12th - Regular Voter Registration Deadline
Registration forms must be postmarked or delivered to your county elections office by 5pm in order to vote on Election Day (Tuesday, November 6th). However, if for some reason you cannot get your registration form in by this date, you can still vote! If you attend One-Stop Early Voting, you may register then.

Wednesday, October 17th - Beginning of One-Stop Early Voting 
You may register AND vote at any One-Stop Early Voting Location in the county in which you live. For locations and hours of the One-Stop Early Voting locations, you can call your county elections office or check here: vt.ncsbe.gov/OSSite

5:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 30th - Deadline to Request a Mail-In Absentee Ballot
Requests must be received by your county elections office by 5pm on this date (not just postmarked, received).

Saturday, November 3rd - End of One-Stop Early Voting and Same-Day Registration

Tuesday, November 6th - ELECTION DAY
Polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Your polling place is listed on your voter registration card, or check here: vt.ncsbe.PPLkup

Voting is a duty, a right, and a privilege. Please exercise it and make your voice heard!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image credit - https://pixabay.com/en/vote-generic-2016-america-campaign-1286584/

Recycling Standards for Greensboro Will Be Enforced

Recycling can help save the environment, but you have to do it right.

It's fantastic that Greensboro has curbside recycling, because so many places don't. However, the City's contamination rate, which means regular trash found in the recycling bin, is a whopping 21%, as opposed to the national average rate of 5%. That's not what's good in Greensboro!

The City isn't going to stop the recycling program, thank goodness, but it is going to have to carry out new measures to try to keep trash out of the recycling stream. Recycling carts will be inspected and tagged if they contain trash, and a notice will be sent to you if your bin had trash in it. If multiple notices are necessary, the City will take your recycling cart. Please don't let that be you! If you're not sure what is and what is not recyclable, you can see the breakdown in this article:
http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2014/11/city-issues-recycling-guidelines-for.html

You can also download the City of Greensboro's waste collection app, explained in this article:
http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2018/04/another-new-app-to-help-greensboro.html

If you want more detailed information about what is or what is not allowed in the recycling bin, you can also visit https://www.greensboro-nc.gov/departments/field-operations/recycle

Here's lots of ways to recycle other things that the City might not collect:
http://bucketofuseful.blogspot.com/2016/02/how-to-recycle-if-you-dont-have.html

Trash can cause major problems in the recycling stream--it can even endanger workers at the sorting facility. Let's keep everyone safe and do it right!

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Image credit: Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/recycle-bin-container-recycling-24543/

Another New App to Help Greensboro Residents

The City of Greensboro has developed a new app for your smartphone to help organize your trash, recycling, yard waste and bulk waste collection. Simply download the free app from the iOS or Google Play stores or access it at www.greensboro-nc.gov/Collects and use it to:

• Sign up for collection reminders
• Download your collection schedule to your device's calendar
• Send texts to your family members to take your bins out to the curb
• Report any waste-related issues

So, no more searching for that calendar that was supposed to be on the fridge, trying to remember whether you are “red” or “blue”, or missing a collection because of a holiday you forgot. Get the app now, and get your garbage achievements unlocked!

For more apps that are handy for Greensboro residents, check this out!

http://whatsgoodingreensboro.blogspot.com/2017/10/apps-that-help-people-get-around-in.html

You can also find What's Good in Greensbroro? on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Whats-Good-in-Greensboro-848569635208317/ . See you there!

Truck image from Pixabay https://pixabay.com/en/truck-heavy-weight-vehicle-trash-3321672/