On the Record: The race for Raleigh Mayor

TILLETT.

>> IT'S TIME TO GO ON THE

RECORD WITH WRAL NEWS.

>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING

US FOR ON THE RECORD. I'M LENA

TILLETT OR SERIES OF CANDID

CONVERSATIONS CONTINUES TONIGHT

WITH THE RACE FOR MAYOR OF

RALEIGH, WHICH IS BECOMING MORE

AND MORE CROWDED. 5 CANDIDATES

HAVE NOW SAID THEY PLAN TO RUN

AND MORE COULD SOON ANNOUNCE

INCLUDING INCUMBENT MAYOR

MARY-ANN BALDWIN. THE ELECTION

COMES AT A TIME IN THE CITY

OF OAKS APPEARS TO BE AT A

CRITICAL MOMENT OF DEFINING

ITSELF. WHAT IS ITS CHARACTER?

HERE ARE JUST A FEW RECENT

PROPOSALS AROUND THE CITY.

DEVELOPERS CONTINUE TO TRY TO

BUILD TALLER AND TALLER TOWERS,

INCLUDING ONE SOUTH OF NORTH

HILLS ACROSS THE BELTLINE.

THE CITY IS CONSIDERING

DESIGNATING THE BLUE RIDGE ROAD

CORRIDOR AROUND PNC ARENA AS

A MUNICIPAL SERVICE DISTRICT.

THE FIRST ONE IN MORE THAN A

DECADE, EVEN WHERE THE CITY

CONDUCTS ITS BUSINESS. CITY

HALL IS GETTING A NEW LOOK.

A 200 MILLION DOLLAR FACELIFT.

17 STORY SHOULD BE BUILT BY

2026. ALL OF THIS COMING AS

THERE IS AN UPTICK IN CRIME,

SOME PETTY, SOME VIOLENT,

CAUSING SOME BUSINESS OWNERS TO

CLOSE UP SHOP BOTH DOWNTOWN

AND AROUND GLENWOOD SOUTH.

TONIGHT WE'RE SITTING DOWN WITH

3 CANDIDATES ABOUT WHAT THEIR

VISION IS FOR RALEIGH ON THESE

ISSUES AND MANY MORE MAYOR PRO

TEM COREY BRANCH IS A CITY

COUNCILMAN REPRESENTING

DISTRICT C JANET HOWELL IS THE

CURRENT PRESIDENT AND CEO OF

DICK'S PARK CONSERVANCY AND

THE FORMER STATE TREASURER AND

POPE. IT SAYS A MORTGAGE BROKER

RUNNING FOR MAYOR FOR THE

SECOND TIME. THANKS SO MUCH

FOR ALL OF YOU JOINING US

TONIGHT. THANK YOU. SEE YOU ALL

WHAT I'D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH YOU

BECAUSE YOU SERVED ON THE CITY

COUNCIL IN RALEIGH IN THE EARLY

2. THOUSANDS, THEN IN THE STATE

SENATE, THEN AS STATE

TREASURER, THE FIRST WOMAN

ELECTED FOR THAT. WELL, BY THE

WAY, THEN YOU'VE GOT OUT OF

POLITICS ALTOGETHER. WHY DO YOU

WANT TO NOW GET BACK INTO

POLITICS AND RUN FOR MAYOR?

WELL, I FEEL LIKE MY SKILL SET

COULD REALLY BE HELPFUL AT THIS

JUNCTURE. I MEAN,

UNDERSTANDING.

>> THE BUDGET AND FINANCES FOR

MY ROLE AS TREASURER. THE CITY

HAS TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

THE STATE. AS WE ALL KNOW IN

THIS AND IN NORTH CAROLINA AND

UNDERSTANDING THE GENERAL

ASSEMBLY HAVING THOSE

RELATIONSHIPS AND I LOVE I'VE

BEEN WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP

WITH THE CITY OVER THE LAST

3 YEARS. AND I FEEL CALLED TO

DO THIS WASN'T ABOUT POLITICS

BACK WHEN YOU DECIDED THAT YOU

WERE DONE WITH IT.

>> WHAT WAS IT ABOUT IT THEN

THAT MADE YOU GET OUT OF IT

THAT YOU THINK YOU NOW ARE

READY TO APPROACH? I REALLY

THINK OF IT MORE SERVICE.

AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, MY DAD

WAS A MINISTERS ARE GROWING

UP, HAD A SENSE OF PUBLIC

SERVICE.

>> IN A DIFFERENT WAY. AND I

FEEL LIKE WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING

IN THE INTERIM IS ALSO SERVICE,

RIGHT BUILDING THE PARK.

I'M WORKING WITH YOUNG WOMEN TO

GET MORE WOMEN INTO FINANCE.

SO THIS WILL JUST BE SHIFTING

GEARS AGAIN. AND I'M GETTING

BACK INTO ELECTORAL POLITICS.

COUNCILMAN BRANCH, YOU HAVE

SAID THAT YOU AND YOUR

COLLEAGUE AT MAYOR MARY-ANN

BALDWIN AGREE ON MANY ISSUES

BUT NOT NECESSARILY ON HOW TO

EXECUTE ON THOSE IDEAS. CAN

YOU GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE

YOU THINK?

>> MAYBE YOU WOULD HAVE A

DIFFERENT APPROACH AND WHAT

WOULD IT BE?

>> I THING ONE IS TO LOOK AT

WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE CAC IN

RALEIGH VOTED TO KEEP CAC IS AT

THE TIME. ALMOST 4 YEARS AT

PFIZER, INC CITIZEN ADVISORY

COUNCILS ALMOST 4 YEARS TODAY.

THIS FEBRUARY BE 4 YEARS.

SO THAT IN ITSELF IS AN EXAMPLE

OF WHERE I FEEL HOW WE REACH

PEOPLE WHERE WE REACH PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, I WOULD ADDRESS AND I

WOULD DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

AND I HOPE EVEN BEFORE THIS

ELECTION, WE CAN MAKE SOME

INROADS AROUND. CA SEES THIS

YEAR. SO YOU WANT TO BRING THEM

BACK? I DO. I WANT TO BRING

THEM BACK. NOT AS THEY WERE.

I WANT TO BRING THEM BACK WITH

SOME MODIFICATIONS, BEEN IN

CONVERSATIONS WITH RESIDENTS

THROUGHOUT THE CITY. I THINK

IT'S A GREAT WAY IS ALWAYS BEEN

A GREAT WAY WITH THE COMMUNITY

IN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND

STAFF CAN MEET TAUGHT THE SKIES

TO MAKE SURE WE BUILD THIS CITY

TOGETHER FOR EVERYBODY.

>> MISTER FITS. THIS IS YOUR

SECOND TIME RUNNING FOR MAYOR.

WHY NOW?

>> I'LL TELL YOU, RECOGNIZE

SOME DEFICIENCIES GOING ON IN

LOCAL GOVERNMENT. ONE OF THE

THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO

RECOGNIZE HOW THE WORKFORCE HAS

SHIFTED OUT OF DOWNTOWN

RALEIGH, THE PRIMARY WORKFORCE

HAS BEEN GOVERNMENT, BUT SINCE

THE PANDEMIC, THEY'VE GONE

REMOTE. SO NOW WE DON'T HAVE

PEOPLE COMING IN EVERY DAY.

WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE AT LUNCH

COUNTERS. WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE

COMING IN SPENDING THEIR

DOLLARS LIKE THEY USED TO

DOWNTOWN RALEIGH. STARTING TO

COME A LITTLE BIT OF A GHOST

TOWN. IF WE KEEP BUILDING THE

TYPE OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES

THAT WE'RE BUILDING NOW, WE

DON'T FOCUS ON OWNER OCCUPIED

PROPERTIES. WE'RE GOING TO

START TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH

OUR FINANCES HERE IN THE CITY

OF RALEIGH WERE 2.5 BILLION

DOLLARS IN DEBT WE NEED TO

FIGURE OUT HOW TO BOOST OUR

POLICE FORCE ON TOP OF IT.

IF WE CONTINUE AND NO OFFENSE

TO JANET. BUT IF WE CONTINUE

PARKS PERSON, POLICE WE'RE

GOING TO BE A CRIME SON AND

WE SHOULDN'T. WE SHOULDN'T GO

THAT ROUTE. LET'S TALK ABOUT

THE PUBLIC SAFETY PART BECAUSE

YOU HAVE SAID ON YOUR WEBSITE

YOU WANT TO HIRE 400 NEW ROOMS

ARE MORE POLICE POLY POLICE

OFFICERS. BUT HOW CAN YOU

DELIVER ON THAT PROMISE WHEN

THE ISSUE, THE CHALLENGE OF

RECRUITING OFFICERS IS SO

DIFFICULT STATEWIDE, NOT JUST

FOR THE RALEIGH POLICE

DEPARTMENT, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO

BE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE

COULD DO IS LITERALLY SET UP A

RECRUITING STATION RIGHT

OUTSIDE OF FORT LIBERTY AND

START WITH THE ARMY BASES.

>> WHEN THEY RETIRE, WHEN THEY

LEAVE THEIR SERVICE IN THE

MILITARY.

BUT VISIT THE BIGGER ISSUES

PAYING FORWARD. YOU KNOW, WE

HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE DEBT.

WE WANT TO PAY FOR A PARK.

>> BUT IT SEEMS WHEN IT COMES,

OUR PUBLIC SAFETY. WE KIND OF

FREAK CITY COUNCIL AND THE

TRUTH IS IF WE BROADEN OUR TAX

BASE AND OTHER WORDS, BRING IN

MORE OWNERSHIP, WE CAN ACTUALLY

PAY FOR MORE. POLICE DON'T KNOW

IF ANY OF YOU WANTED TO RESPOND

TO THAT. WELL, I WAS JUST TO

THAT POINT, WE'VE DONE A LOT

OF RAIN TO OUT TO DIFFERENT

AREAS TO OUR UNIVERSITIES,

REACHING OUT TO FORT LIBERTY

AND FORM A MILITARY.

>> AS FAR AS LAW ENFORCEMENT.

BUT ALSO WE LOOK AT PUBLIC

SAFETY, PUBLIC SAFETY ALSO

INCLUDES FIRE. SO WE ALSO HAVE

TO LOOK, AS AS OUR CITY IS

GROWING, WE HAVE TO INCREASE

THE NUMBER OF FIREFIGHTERS THAT

WE HAVE IN OUR FIRE STATIONS

THAT WE HAVE AS WELL

AS OUR ALL IN THE EYE, MERCY

WORKERS THAT ARE ANSWERING THE

CALLS SO PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE

LOBBY WHEN THEY HEAR PUBLIC

SAFETY, THEY AUTOMATICALLY

SHIFT TO POLICE. BUT PUBLIC

SAFETY IS ENCOMPASSING A LOT

OF APARTMENTS THAT KEEP PEOPLE

REALLY QUICKLY. AND THEN I WANT

TO MOVE TO DEVELOPMENT ON THE

PUBLIC SAFETY RALEIGH POLICE

AND PRIVATE ARMED SECURITY

GUARDS ARE NOW WORKING

TOGETHER, PATROLLING HOT SPOTS

IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH AROUND

MOORE SQUARE AND ALSO IN

GLENWOOD SOUTH IN OUR REPORTING

IS SHOWING THAT IT'S WORKING.

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU

WOULD CONTINUE AS MAYOR?

>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD

DEFINITELY MONITOR AND WATCH

AS WE INCREASE OUR POLICE FORCE

OVERTIME. I THINK THAT'S

SOMETHING WE CAN PULL BACK ON.

BUT ALSO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT

FROM THE STANDPOINT POLICE

OFFICERS ARE NOT SECURITY

OFFICERS.

>> SO THEIR ROLES IN THEIR

TASKS ARE DIFFERENT. SO WE HAVE

TO MAKE SURE WE PUT THE CORRECT

PERSONNEL IN THE CORRECT PLACE.

CAL, HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND?

I WOULD JUST ADD THAT OUR

SALARIES ARE BELOW SURROUNDING

TOWN. SO IT'S NOT JUST

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

>> AND SO WE NEED TO LOOK AT

THE SALARIES. I THINK THE OTHER

PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN REALLY

ACORN UNIT, WHICH IS ABOUT

MENTAL HEALTH, SOCIAL SERVICES.

I'M NOT CRIMINALIZING PEOPLE

WHO NEED WHAT THEY NEED AS

SHELTER OR OTHER SERVICES.

SO INVESTING IN THOSE KIND OF

PROGRAMS WOULD ALSO BE

IMPORTANT. LET'S TALK ABOUT

THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT HAPPENING

ALL OVER RALEIGH. I THINK THAT

MOST WOULD AGREE THAT IT'S MISS

COW IN OUR REPORTING. A LOT OF

PEOPLE HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY

ESSENTIALLY FEEL THAT THEY ARE

TIME AND TIME AGAIN IN A DAVID

VERSUS GOLIATH SITUATION WITH

THESE DEVELOPERS THAT THEY HAVE

CONCERNS ABOUT SOME OF THE

INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND THE

DEVELOPMENT AND THEY DON'T FEEL

THAT THEY'RE BEING HEARD BY

THE CITY. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO

THAT? DO YOU AGREE? AND AND HOW

WOULD YOU OPERATE AS MAYOR?

WELL, I WOULD GO BACK TO THE

CAC IN. WE DO NEED TO REINSTATE

CA SEES. I THINK THERE ARE VERY

VALUABLE AND I USE THEM A LOT

WHEN I WAS A COUNSELOR. SO

>> THAT ONE OF THE IMPORTANT

THINGS THAT YOU HAVE THE CITY

FACILITATING THE CONVERSATION

WITH DEVELOPERS AND NOT

DEVELOPERS FACILITATING THE

CONVERSATION WITH CITIZENS.

>> AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE

NEED TO BE MORE OWNER OPERATED

OWNERSHIP. IT HOW WOULD YOU

DO THAT? HOW WOULD YOU FIND

PEOPLE TO DO WELL IN SOME OF

THESE PROPERTY? IT'S STILL

DIVERSIFYING. WHAT WE HAVE.

YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE STATE

OF NORTH CAROLINA OWNS 161

PROPERTIES IN THE CITY. THE

PAINT AXIS, BY THE WAY, NOW

THE 70 YEAR-OLD CONTRACT.

IF YOU WANT TO CALL, IT WAS,

HEY, WE HAVE SO THEREFORE, WE

SHOULDN'T PAY BRING IN. TOURISM

AS WELL. SO WE SHOULD PAY TAXES

SINCE 2020, WHICH WAS KIND

PREDICTED WHEN THE WORK FORCE

BECAME REMOTE. THE STATE GOT A

BROKEN THAT CONTRACT. SO NOW

WE NEED TO LOOK AT

UNDERUTILIZED, STATE-OWNED

PROPERTY SUCH AS THE PRISONS.

I WANT TO GET RID OF THE

PRISON'S OUT OF DOWNTOWN

RALEIGH. I BELIEVE THOSE COULD

BE LIVABLE, WORKABLE SPACES

IF WE CAN CREATE TOWNHOMES ROW

HOMES, CONDOS AND BROADEN OUR

TAX BASE AND BROUGHT HER HOME

OWNERSHIP. HEY, THAT'S GOING TO

HELP THE BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN

RALEIGH, BUT BE THAT'S ALSO

GOING TO DIVERSIFY OUR TAX BASE

TO HELP THAT OUT. WE SHOULD

SAY PROPERTY TAXES HAVE

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH

THE CITY OF RALLY, THOUGH.

THAT'S A STATE. IT'S A IT'S A

STATE LAW, BY THE WAY. BUT

STILL, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOK

AT WHAT WE'RE NOT GAINING IN

REVENUE BECAUSE OF THOSE

SPACES, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT

YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE

ACREAGE. YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT

THE SIZE OF THE PROPERTIES, THE

BUILDINGS THEMSELVES WITH THE

SQUARE FOOTAGE IN ACREAGE.

WE'RE LOSING ABOUT 150 MILLION

DOLLARS A YEAR IN REVENUE.

NO CITY IN THE STATE HAVE BEEN

IT DOES BECAUSE OF THAT.

COUNCILMAN BRANCH, OBVIOUSLY

YOU'RE IN THE POSITION RIGHT

NOW OF APPROVING AND DENYING

SOME OF THESE REZONING REQUEST.

WHAT THIS IS A QUESTION THAT

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT TO

KNOW WHO LIVE IN THESE

COMMUNITIES. WHAT ROLE DO YOU

THINK THE CITY?

>> OR DEVELOPERS SHOULD HAVE

BEEN BUILDING UP THE

INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND SOME OF

THESE PROPOSALS. SO IT'S VERY

IMPORTANT THAT WE WORKING IN

TOGETHER IN A RELATIONSHIP AS

FAR AS DEVELOPERS AS THEY COME

IN AS HAVING THOSE

CONVERSATIONS LOOKING FOR

BENEFITS THAT COME AS FAR AS

PARKING ALL. WE ALSO HAVE

BENEFITS AS FAR AS REPLACING A

LOT OF OUR AGE INFRASTRUCTURE.

>> AS FAR AS OUR WATER AND OUR

SO WERE SOME OF THAT IS

HAPPENING NOW. AND THAT COMES

IN FROM FEES THAT COMES FROM

DEVELOPMENT. SO THAT IS VERY

CRITICAL AND VERY KEY WHEN WE

MOVE FORWARD. SO IF YOU HAVE A

NEW DEVELOPMENT GOING UP TO

THINK THE CITY SHOULD BE

BUILDING SIDEWALKS AROUND

DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE

ACCOMMODATING, ALL OF THESE NEW

PEOPLE COMING INTO THESE

COMMUNITIES. SO THE WAY OUR

CODE IS ACTUALLY WRITTEN FOR

ANY NEW DEVELOPMENT THEY ARE TO

DO INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS,

SUCH AS SIDEWALKS AND IN SOME

AREA ROADS WINDING. SO THERE

IS UP A PLACE WHERE IF THEY ARE

NOT ABLE TO INCREASE, I JUST

HAD A CASE IS THAT THIS WEEK

THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO IMPROVE

THE ROAD THEY CAN PAY IN LIEU.

SO IT'S A BALANCING ACT, BUT

THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING TO

INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT IS

ALWAYS DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR.

FROM THE TIME WE DO

CONSTRUCTION FROM THE TIME THE

MONEY IS PAID AND MAY NOT

EXACTLY BE, BUT THEY ARE PLANT

PAYING A FEE. MISS COWAN WITH

THE TIME WE HAVE REMAINING.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE

HOUSING. THAT'S TOP OF MIND FOR

SO MANY FAMILIES IN OUR

COMMUNITY.

>> AND IT CONTINUES TO BE IN

SHORT SUPPLY. YOU AS THE CEO OF

BY THE DIX PARK CONSERVANCY

KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THE CONCERNS

AROUND SOME OF THE PLANS AROUND

DICK'S PARK AND PEOPLE THINKING

THERE SHOULD BE MORE

AFFORDABLE. HOUSING INCLUDED

IN THOSE PLANS. HOW WOULD YOU

APPROACH THAT IS MAYOR?

>> YEAH, I THINK THIS GOES BACK

TO CITY AND HAVING FORESIGHT.

SO WHEN YOU RE ZONE SOMETHING

OR WHEN YOU DO ATTACKS

OPPORTUNITIES UNDERSTANDING THE

IMPACTS OF THOSE INVESTMENTS

AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU LAND

BANK THAT YOU HAVE PROPERTY

WHERE YOU CAN DO AFFORDABLE

HOUSING, WHICH DOES NEED

SUBSIDY. THERE IS A PARCEL NEAR

DICK'S PARK AND OF COURSE,

THERE'S A MORE PARCELS NEAR

MOORE SQUARE THAT HAVE BEEN

DESIGNATED FOR AFFORDABLE

HOUSING. BUT I THINK AN

AGGRESSIVE LAND BANKING BY THE

CITY AND FORESIGHT TOWARDS THAT

WOULD BE PART OF THE ANSWER.

DO YOU THINK THE CITY HAS BEEN

AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH TOWARD

AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

AT THIS POINT? NOW?

>> AND YOU WOULD DO MUCH MORE.

I WOULD DO MORE. I THINK

THERE'S A LOT OF THIS GOES BACK

TO PARTNERSHIPS, PARTNERING

WITH THE COUNTY AROUND

PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED ASSISTANCE,

YOU KNOW, PARTNERING WITH THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

>> WHO HAVE A LOT OF THE RULES

AND REGULATIONS AROUND WHAT CAN

BE DONE WITH HOUSING AND THE

CONVERSATIONS WITH DEVELOPERS

TO SET THE EXPECTATION. MISTER

FITS FINAL QUESTION

TO YOU.

>> DO YOU THINK THAT RALLY HAS

A CLEAR CHARACTER RIGHT NOW?

AND IF SO, WHAT IS THAT?

IF I WERE TO SAY IT HAS A CLEAR

CHARACTER, THE WORKFORCE THAT

WE'VE HAD FOR YEARS HAS BEEN A

A WORK HARD PLAY HARD

MENTALITY, BUT I WILL TELL YOU

THAT ITS WANING A LITTLE BIT

SINCE 2020. WE USED TO HAVE

BUSINESSES THAT WERE OPEN.

24 HOURS A DAY. I DARE YOU TO

FIND MORE THAN 5 THAT ARE OPEN.

24 HOURS A DAY WITH OUR DIVERSE

POPULATION. WE WE REALLY HAVE

TO DO MORE TO MAKE THEM

UNDERSTAND THAT WE WANT THEM

AROUND. 24 7, MOST OF OUR OUR

CLIENTS ARE THE PEOPLE USED

TO COMING DOWNTOWN RALEIGH TO

WORK FOR THE CITY, THEIR WORK

FROM HOME THERE IN WAKE FOREST

WENDELL NIGHT, BILL ZEBULON,

IF YOU GO A HOLLY SPRINGS,

THOSE ARE BOLSTERING THOSE

AREAS ARE TAKEN AWAY FROM OUR

AREAS. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON

RALEIGH FIRST 15 SECONDS.

SAME COURT. SO RALEIGH IS A

PLACE THAT THING WHERE EVERYONE

HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEEK

OPPORTUNITIES AND AS A

GOVERNMENT, OUR JOB IS TO MAKE

SURE WE HAVE NO BARRIERS ARE IN

THE WAY OF THEM GOING AFTER

THEIR GOALS. I SHOULD OFFER THE

YOU ONE MORE CHANCE TO SAY THAT

THE 2, WELL, YOU WOULD HOPE

THAT WOULD BE A PLACE FOR

EVERYBODY COULD MAKE THEIR

POTENTIAL HAVE PROSPERITY, FEEL

SAFE AND PROSPER.

>> THIS COW COUNCILMAN BRANCH,

MISTER FAYED'S, THANK YOU ALL

SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME COMING

UP, DURHAM IS SEEING AN ARTS

REVIVAL RIGHT NOW SPEARHEADED.

>> BY WOMEN. WE SIT DOWN WITH

THE VISIONARIES BEHIND FINE

ART GALLERY AND JAZZ LOUNGE.

YET.

WELCOME BACK. HISTORY MEETS

HISTORY ON THE CORNER OF WEST

PARIS STREET.

>> FINE ART GALLERY IS DRAWING

BOTH ART ENTHUSIASTS AND VERY

YOUNG STUDENTS. THE OWNER TELLS

ME SHE WANTS TO HELP REDEFINE

WHO AND WHAT MAKES GREAT ART.

>> SHE IN COOL INCREASE SOME OF

HER WORK WITH DIAMOND DUST AND

THERE'S TEXTURE AND THERE'S

MOVEMENT, BEAUTY IS EVERYWHERE

AT ELLA WEST GALLERY ON EVERY

WALL IN EVERY CAREFULLY PLACED

LOWEST CALORIE, REPRESENT A

TREE, REALIZE NOT JUST FOR ME,

BUT FOR THE ARTIST FOR OUR

COMMUNITY, LINDA SHROPSHIRE IS

THE VISIONARY BEHIND THE

STATE'S FIRST BLACK WOMAN OWNED

FIND ART GALLERY WHICH OPENED

LAST SUMMER IN DURHAM. WHAT I

WALKED IN, YOU, IT TOOK MY

BREATH AWAY. I'LL BE HONEST.

IT IS MY HOPE THAT BY DOING

THIS.

THAT I WILL INSPIRE MORE PEOPLE

TO TAKE THE LEAD FOR LEAP IS A

DECADES LONG JOURNEY STARTING

IN GRADE SCHOOL WITH AN ART

TEACHER IN CHARLOTTE NAMED

WINSTON FLETCHER. NOT ONLY DID

HE SHARE THIS INFORMATION ABOUT

PICASSO AND SANDRO BOTTICELLI

AND ALL OF THESE AMAZING, GREAT

ARTIST. BUT HE ALSO TAUGHT ME

ABOUT THAT MANY OF US ELIZABETH

CALLAND UNCERTAIN OF HER WILL

WITH ART SHROPSHIRE HAD AN

IMPROMPTU LUNCH WITH FLETCHER'S

CHILDHOOD FRIEND PAINTER ERNIE

BARNES TO HEAR HIS STORIES TOO,

SORT OF GET THE UNDERSTANDING

OF WHAT MOTIVATED HIM, THE WAYS

THAT ARE CHANGED HIS LIFE.

I THINK IT WAS HIM AT PLACE.

AND AT THAT TIME WHERE I

DEVELOPED WHAT I CALL MY

SERVANT'S HEART ARTIST IN 2022,

BARNES IS FAMOUS SUGAR SHACK

PAINTING DEPICTING A NIGHT OF

EUPHORIA AT THE DURHAM ARMORY

SOLD AT AUCTION FOR 15.3

MILLION DOLLARS AND

I'M FORTUNATELY HE WAS NOT

AROUND TO SEE THAT. AND SO ONE

OF MY GOALS IS TO MAKE SURE

THAT LIVING ARTIST OF OUR DAY

THEY DON'T HAVE TO BECOME

ANCESTORS.

THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE

AND TO BE COMPENSATED IN THE

WAY THAT THEY SHOULD BE FOR

RESEARCH TOOK HER TO GALLERIES

AND MUSEUMS AROUND THE WORLD.

AND SHE PAID ATTENTION TO WHAT

SHE SAW AND DID NOT SEE FOR FAR

TOO LONG. THE CANNONS OF ART

HISTORY HAVE BEEN SKEWED

TOWARDS THE EUROPEAN MALE.

THEIR STORIES, THEIR

NARRATIVES. AND SO IN MY SMALL

WAY, I CREATED THIS GALLERY

TO REWRITE SOME OF THOSE

NARRATIVES.

WEST GALLERY NAMED FOR HER

MOTHER SEEKS TO TELL ANOTHER

STORY. IT CENTERS THE WORK OF

BLACK WOMEN AND OTHER

UNDERREPRESENTED ARTISTS.

THIS EXHIBIT CALLED PERSISTENCE

ON OUR TERMS FEATURES STUNNING

PAINTINGS FROM GEORGIA ARTIST

SAATCHI ROME IN HER WAY.

SHE CREATES SORT OF THIS AND

SAYS STU ROLE. HEY, MAN.

THIS PROTECTION THIS FIELD OF

PROTECTION AROUND. THIS LITTLE

BOY, IT'S TRAINING AND HIS

HOPES AND SO IT'S JUST

STRIKING. IT'S SO DELICATE,

DELICATE, BUT IT'S ALSO

RESILIENT AND DIDN'T THE REAL

MOSAIC LIKE TISSUE INSTALLATION

FROM ARTIST MAYA FREE LAWN

WHOSE INSPIRATION FOR THIS WORK

WAS BORN IN HER GRANDMOTHER'S

DURHAM BASEMENT. IT IS. I'M

DAISHA US. IT'S FUN. AND EVERY

DAY I WALK IN, I CONSIDERED A

PRIVILEGE TO HAVE HER

REPRESENTED HERE. AND HERE THIS

LOCATION IS PART OF THE ART.

THOU. WHY PERRY STREET Y WAS

PERRY STREET. YOUR TRAIN CASH?

SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T

KNOW HISTORY, THIS WAS ONCE

BLACK WALL STREET AND

1923. EXACTLY. 100 YEARS AGO,

THIS VERY BUILDING THAT WE ARE

IN.

>> IT WAS THE PRINTING PRESS

FOR THE DURHAM ARE FOR WHICH

WAS THE BLACK NEWSPAPER, THIS

STREET WAS LINED WITH BLACK

BUSINESS THUS AND SO TO BE

ANCHOR CHEER. MEANS THAT I AM

FULFILLING THE DREAMS OF MY

ANCESTORS.

>> DREAMS REALIZED DREAMS YET

DREAMED IN DURHAM, LENA

TILLETT, WRAL NEWS.

AND AN ARTS RENAISSANCE IS

TAKING SHAPE IN DURHAM. A MERE

0.2 MILES OR ABOUT 3 CITY

BLOCKS AWAY.

>> IS MISS ELAINE'S ASSEMBLY

ROOM. THAT'S A BRAND NEW JAZZ

LOUNGE THAT OPENED THIS MONTH.

AND JOINING US VIA ZOOM IS

MISSY LANES. CO-OWNER SICILY,

MITCHELL. IT IS SO GREAT TO

SEE SICILY. I KNOW YOU ARE

CURRENTLY SITTING IN MISSY

LANES.

>> YES, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

SO MISSY LANES IS YOUR BRAIN

CHILD. WHY DID YOU WANT TO HAVE

THIS SPACE BUILT THE SPACE IN

DURHAM?

>> MOST ALWAYS BEEN A DREAM

FROM DAY TO HAVE A DEDICATED

SPACE TODAY IT STARTED HELPING

OUR STRONG ABOUT 13 YEARS AND

WE STARTED ART OF COOL WE CAN

AVOID THE NEWS SO WE WOULD TAKE

OVER ART GALLERIES POP-UP JAZZ

CONCERTS. ALL WITH A GOAL IN

MIND TO HAVE A HOME FOR JAZZ AT

SOME POINT ALONG THE WAY, WE

DID POP UPS AND THEN WE DO

FESTIVAL AND SO HERE WE ARE.

>> I HAVE MANY MORE QUESTIONS

FOR YOU. WE HAVE TO TAKE A

QUICK BREAK AND I'LL SEE YOU ON

THE OTHER SIDE.

BACK NOW WITH THE OWNER OF

MISSY LANES ASSEMBLY ROOM, A

BRAND NEW JAZZ LOUNGE IN DURHAM

AT SICILY, MITCHELL. SO YOU

TALKED A LITTLE ABOUT ABOUT ART

OF COOL. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW

HOW SUCCESSFUL THIS HOMEGROWN

MUSIC FESTIVAL HAS BECOME IN

DURHAM AND THAT SHOULD TELL

FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW ABOUT

MUSIC AND, YOU KNOW, GOOD

MUSIC. HERE'S MY QUESTION FOR

YOU, THOUGH, THAT THIS IS A

TIME WHEN SO MANY LIVE MUSIC

VENUES ARE CLOSING THEIR DOORS

BECAUSE THEY HAVE FOUND IT

DIFFICULT. OFTEN THEY DID THIS

DURING THE PANDEMIC OF GETTING

PEOPLE TO THEIR VENUES. SO WHY

DID YOU WANT TO OPEN?

>> I FEEL LIKE IT ACTUALLY A

PERFECT TIME WHEN WE WERE

COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC AS I

WAS MOVING ABOUT THE CITY

PEOPLE ARE STILL ASKING, YOU

KNOW, WHEN WAS ART OF COOL

COMING BACK IN AND REMIND THEM

THAT HAS SOLD THE OF FESTIVAL

TO GROUP AND IT WAS JUST, YOU

KNOW, I NEED THAT NEEDED TO

MET. MY FRIEND, OWNED THE

BUILDING ISSUES LOOKING FOR

10. AND SO THE SPACE IS A

BEAUTIFUL 1920, SPACE AT 3.10,

EAST, MAINE. AND SO ALL THE ALL

THE STARS ALIGNED AND THE TIME

IT WAS WAS RIGHT IN IT REALLY

WAS TO ME. I NEED THAT. I SAW

I'M COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC.

THE AUDIENCE WAS HERE AND WE

HAVE BUILT FOR THE PANDEMIC AND

THEY JUST STARTING FOR A NEW

MUSIC KING STARTING IS RIGHT.

BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU, THE

BUZZ ISRAEL ABOUT MISSY LANES.

WE WERE JUST SHOWING SOME VIDEO

ABOUT IT OR OF THE VENUE AND

JUST THE CROWDS THAT HAVE

ALREADY SHOWN OUT.

>> WHAT DO YOU HOPE THE

COMMUNITY AND EVEN NORTH

CAROLINA WILL LEARN ABOUT

DURHAM'S MUSIC SCENE THROUGH

YOUR VENUE.

>> I DEFINITELY HOPE MESA

BUT OUR, YOU KNOW, DURHAM AND

RALEIGH.

>> BASED MUSICIANS AND AN AREA

MUSICIANS TO COME AND PLAY BE

LIFTED UP, CONNECT WITH THE

AUDIENCE YOU KNOW, LAUNCH NEW

MUSIC DEFINITELY WANTED TO A

BUT MUSICIANS AS WELL AS THOSE

WHO LOVE YOU CAN SEE.

>> SO THIS IS REALLY

INTERESTING ABOUT THIS LOCATION

AS WELL. THIS IS A LIVE MUSIC

VENUE, BUT YOU'RE ALSO TRYING

TO MODERNIZE HOW THAT WORKS.

YOU WANT FOLKS TO BECOME

MEMBERS OF SORTS. HOW DOES THAT

WORK?

>> YES, WE HAVE A MEMBERSHIP TO

THE CLUB AND IS FOR THAT TYPE

OF PERSON THAT IS LOOKING FOR A

>> INTIMATE EXPERIENCE

>> THEY WANT A MORE ELEVATED

EXPERIENCE. SO THE CLUB AND SO

THERE WILL BE SOME PRIVATE

EVENTS. JUST 4 MEMBERS AS WELL

AS SOME BENEFITS AND PERKS LIKE

PURCHASING TICKETS BEFORE THEY

GO ON SALE TO BE ABLE YOU KNOW,

GET THE BEST SEATS IN THE

HOUSE.

>> YOUR CALENDAR IS ALREADY

SO IMPRESSIVE. TELL US ABOUT

SOME OF THE ARTISTS WHO WERE

COMING TO PERFORM.

>> SO THIS WEEK WILL TOMORROW,

ACTUALLY, WE JOHN BROWN AND HIS

LITTLE BIG BAND. HIS BASS

PLAYER. AND SO I GUESS I HAVE

TO BASE PLAYERS THIS WEEK

UPRIGHT BASS. MORE STRAIGHT

AHEAD. TRADITION BROWN ON

FRIDAY AND THEN ON SATURDAY

WE ELECTRIC BASS FUNK MASTER

TIP SHARING WILL BE PERFORMING

ON SATURDAY.

>> REALLY QUICKLY, 15 SECONDS.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR MISSY

LANES?

>> MY VISION IS THAT WE

CONTINUE TO BUILD THE

COMMUNITY. PEOPLE PLAY AGAIN OR

JAM SESSIONS, WHICH THAT WE

DEBUT A JAM SESSION TONIGHT.

OPEN MIKES. THEY THEY FIND

THEIR LANE IN THE MORNING.

WE HAVE COFFEE. SO WE JUST

REALLY WANT TO BE A PART OF THE

COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE I'M

CONNECT WITH THE MUSIC EITHER

BY DAY OR NIGHT.

>> SICILY, MITCHELL, THANK YOU

SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. FOR MORE

ON THIS, ELAINE IS GOING TO SEE

LANES DOT COM AGAIN LOCATED

ON 3.10, EAST MAIN STREET.

CHECK THEM OUT. HAVE A GREAT

TIME. IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO

SAY ABOUT TONIGHT'S DISCUSSION,

EMAIL US ON THE RECORD AT WRAL

DOT COM OR FIND ME ON SOCIAL

MEDIA. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT.