*sigh* The Hickory Arches

[00:00:02] What you want when you want it, where you want it. This is the MESH.

[00:00:39] It's fantastic. Thank you. Awesome. So I'm just going to dive right into it.

[00:00:44] Wow. Top row. Wow. Right off the top row. Let's just get right into this thing.

[00:00:49] We had to, this is an emergency podcast.

[00:00:52] I simply don't throw the bats in both quickly in between episodes.

[00:00:56] But Hickory North Carolina, if you have been living on the Iraq for the last four days or so,

[00:01:01] Hickory had it, it might have kept you safe. It might have.

[00:01:04] Or you read the Winston-Sale Journal.

[00:01:06] Yeah, maybe so. Hickory's quote unquote, iconic arches are no more.

[00:01:11] This seven month iconic. Yeah, the seven month iconic arches have collapsed.

[00:01:16] The arches have fallen. Is that a fallen arches?

[00:01:20] Yeah, that's a medical condition. So yeah, guys, initial take.

[00:01:26] McNally, you first heard about it the morning after it happened.

[00:01:31] Of course there are some storms that came through.

[00:01:33] Well, life said, oh my gosh.

[00:01:35] Where were you moment? It almost is.

[00:01:37] So of course like most of our jams can go and start writing songs about this.

[00:01:41] Wake up first thing I do. Look at my phone.

[00:01:44] But I'm not, you know, on the social media platform as well.

[00:01:47] I says, oh my gosh, the arches fell.

[00:01:49] I thought it was a joke and I had to sit there and think it's not their first.

[00:01:52] And then my first thought honestly was deflated just because of the time.

[00:02:02] The time spent on the initialization of the bond project.

[00:02:09] Then the time it took to really start seeing earth move and things get done.

[00:02:13] Then you start really seeing the street opens, the linear, the street walks opening.

[00:02:20] It's being dedicated. All these milestones were hitting, including the dedication of that bridge.

[00:02:26] The lights, it had its detractors and I know we'll get into that shortly.

[00:02:30] But we were hitting milestones. And so quickly for that to turn, which was deflating not only that it happened,

[00:02:40] but in the symbolism of it happening.

[00:02:43] Sure. Erica.

[00:02:45] So whenever I first woke up again, look right at your phone.

[00:02:50] My initial thought was knowing how bad the wind was, the night of, I got up and went and looked at our window

[00:02:58] to make sure our patio furniture was still there.

[00:03:01] But guys, I'm thinking...

[00:03:02] And it lasted?

[00:03:03] It did.

[00:03:04] It did.

[00:03:05] So I'm thinking if...

[00:03:06] No.

[00:03:07] We did have a number, let's blow over.

[00:03:10] Actually makes sense.

[00:03:11] Hashtag never forget.

[00:03:13] Exactly.

[00:03:14] So I felt deflated as well.

[00:03:16] I hope it gets a new patio furniture, did it.

[00:03:18] Nonetheless, I was sad because you're right.

[00:03:22] It was such a process and it was something to be proud of.

[00:03:27] And we worked on as a community for so long just to come crashing down.

[00:03:31] And then the reactions afterwards was some negativity, some positivity with anything on social media sites.

[00:03:40] At the end of the day though, I'm glad nobody was hurt.

[00:03:43] Right.

[00:03:45] So I have a weird sleep pattern these days.

[00:03:50] So typically, I'm going to sleep, notting off on the couch and then waking up early.

[00:03:56] Like early morning, like 1, 2, 3 in and then staying up for a couple hours and going back to sleep.

[00:04:01] Just the way I'm rolling these days.

[00:04:03] So I've been asleep for a while and I turned on social media off the couch.

[00:04:10] I just flipped it on the TV and I just rolled it all through.

[00:04:15] And I saw the Hickory Reporter in my friend Peyton Moore at a day going to picture.

[00:04:21] And it was on the Hickory Reporter and I thought it was a joke.

[00:04:25] I was like, oh, it's good.

[00:04:28] Like this is funny.

[00:04:31] And then I went to Hickory Day record and they hadn't started reporting on the end.

[00:04:36] And it was 3 a.m. and it was 3 hours past that I went down.

[00:04:40] So I was like, what's going on here?

[00:04:42] So I was like, let's stay with Ferry doing like what's he up to?

[00:04:46] Dave Ferry is always on it.

[00:04:48] And he hadn't reported on it yet.

[00:04:51] So I was in Limbo for like half hours, just trying to like scroll through, trying to find anything about it.

[00:04:56] And then it started rolling in about 3.34.

[00:04:59] And I didn't shoot out any messages to my couple different group texts until I let people sleep till about 5.45.

[00:05:06] And then I woke the entire friendships circle of mine up.

[00:05:10] I was like, check this out and I had to send me in and it was just it was just all.

[00:05:15] So initial thoughts from me.

[00:05:19] You know, when I saw it, like I said, I thought it was a joke.

[00:05:24] So I was kind of like, jovial.

[00:05:25] I was like, this is great. This is funny joke.

[00:05:27] And then that's always real.

[00:05:29] And the first thing I thought about, I was like, I hope nobody was driving home underneath it.

[00:05:33] You know, nobody died.

[00:05:35] Nobody on 27 called any lumber to the noggin.

[00:05:37] You know, I hope there was no homeless people underneath the bridge.

[00:05:40] You know something like that.

[00:05:41] You know, all of the normal human thoughts.

[00:05:45] And then then the blame game starts in my head.

[00:05:50] I'm like, okay.

[00:05:52] These arches have been up since July.

[00:05:55] Okay?

[00:05:56] Of last year.

[00:05:57] Of last year.

[00:05:58] Seven months.

[00:05:59] Right.

[00:06:00] Almost to the day.

[00:06:01] I am.

[00:06:02] And you all, I have seen a lot of detractors on the microphones on the internet saying,

[00:06:08] You know, it's a big, huge fall and it's all this and we have so much money lost,

[00:06:13] this and everything.

[00:06:14] We'll get into that.

[00:06:15] So I'm going to just start dispelling some mess first.

[00:06:18] Okay.

[00:06:19] One.

[00:06:21] The arches were built for the price tag of $750,000.

[00:06:26] Not $14 million.

[00:06:28] $14 million is the price of a section of the bond project.

[00:06:33] Okay?

[00:06:34] So there's a lot of misinformation going on that.

[00:06:36] To this project was built on a beautification grant, correct?

[00:06:40] Correct.

[00:06:41] So in other words, yes, as federal taxpayers,

[00:06:45] we have paid for this.

[00:06:47] However, that could have also got money could also gone to Newton or

[00:06:50] or con over or Rolly or Charlotte or any other city in the United States.

[00:06:55] He could have got it.

[00:06:56] See if he could be employees,

[00:06:57] wrote grants that got that money.

[00:06:59] So we're not paying for it.

[00:07:01] Number two, where we are kind of.

[00:07:02] Number three, Hank says it's under warranty.

[00:07:06] Some might explain that to me.

[00:07:08] I mean, now you mentioned that and that's a good question.

[00:07:11] And of course, I don't know all the details.

[00:07:13] Sure.

[00:07:14] We want us.

[00:07:15] But didn't you come prepared to this project?

[00:07:16] Yeah.

[00:07:17] You're not a structural engineer.

[00:07:18] Just as, uh, and I'm definitely, uh,

[00:07:21] I probably wouldn't have been as good.

[00:07:23] No.

[00:07:24] Because of this, the price tag and it being prefab and brain broad in,

[00:07:31] I am sure that there are some sort of catchalls,

[00:07:36] whether that is by the manufacturer, by the setup,

[00:07:41] you know, the people that bolted it to the concrete

[00:07:45] and there are a lot of, you know,

[00:07:48] poker's in the fire as far as people that were involved

[00:07:51] in all the different layers of doing this.

[00:07:54] So whether that's, and you brought up a good point.

[00:07:56] What does that mean as far as what's the next step or phase?

[00:07:59] Is that financial recoup?

[00:08:01] Is that rebuild some combination in between?

[00:08:05] I'd be surprised if it would be the same structure.

[00:08:08] Because not only that.

[00:08:11] Now we've got this added layer of it landed on, you know,

[00:08:16] highway.

[00:08:17] So now you got state DOT.

[00:08:19] Yeah, in TSP.

[00:08:20] NTSB and us train station here at board.

[00:08:23] You've got Norfolk's other, which thankfully,

[00:08:27] I mean, thankfully nobody's heard.

[00:08:29] Thankfully didn't go on the railroad tracks because I'll tell you what.

[00:08:32] Railroad companies are very difficult to deal with when it comes to

[00:08:36] anything that can get in the way of clockwork and move their goods.

[00:08:40] Sure.

[00:08:41] Well, we ran into that when building the riverwalk.

[00:08:43] Right.

[00:08:44] You know, and with this structure initially, sure, sure.

[00:08:47] And not to mention that, you know, they have,

[00:08:51] what's the order I'm looking for?

[00:08:53] Big precedents.

[00:08:54] Note not precedents.

[00:08:55] Shit.

[00:08:56] What's the priority?

[00:08:58] That's not even a big word.

[00:08:59] Priority over a lot of other entities.

[00:09:03] They have to have things checked off before.

[00:09:06] Oh, yeah.

[00:09:07] That's a lot of different levels of red tape for many reasons.

[00:09:13] But it will be very interesting to see what next steps are, and I am sure we'll hear more

[00:09:18] because everybody is being contacted right now.

[00:09:21] And it is, it's all hands on deck.

[00:09:23] It's all hands on deck, but yes, you can imagine when you got all these different people from

[00:09:26] it's easy for us to sit there and look at it and drive by and think, oh my gosh, this is a big deal.

[00:09:30] Well, you're enrolling.

[00:09:31] You've got a hundred big deals.

[00:09:33] It's going to take longer.

[00:09:35] Right.

[00:09:36] And the longer that that pile of rubble sits there, the more it becomes an issue.

[00:09:41] It's a reminder.

[00:09:42] It's a reminder.

[00:09:43] It's a reminder.

[00:09:44] And it's a reminder that can't get to the bridge.

[00:09:46] There are some, let's hope their minor.

[00:09:48] I'm sure structurally at least for the integrity of the bridge.

[00:09:51] They would be a little faster on that if there was any sort of imminent danger for that.

[00:09:56] But we know they have to at least reduce some of the columns on the, the, the sides of the pile on the bridge.

[00:10:03] I'm real surprised that we're even able to drive underneath that bridge right now.

[00:10:07] I have yet to drive underneath that bridge.

[00:10:09] I don't think I'm going to.

[00:10:10] I will go around.

[00:10:12] Just for the, by and fact is that again, full disclaimer, neither are nor the mesh network or structural engineers.

[00:10:21] What?

[00:10:22] Okay.

[00:10:23] I will say this if a 40,000, no, what is it?

[00:10:27] 40,000, what was it?

[00:10:28] 40, 40.

[00:10:29] 40 times.

[00:10:30] So 80,000 pound structure falls on another concrete structure.

[00:10:34] There is going to be cracks.

[00:10:36] There's going to be so much into your damage that you might not even know about until the rubble's gone.

[00:10:42] Why is 127 open underneath that bridge?

[00:10:45] That's my question.

[00:10:47] And it's a safety issue.

[00:10:48] Um, that's the one thing I'm concerned about.

[00:10:51] Yeah, will we build those arches or something to the effect or do a hologram with two-pock and

[00:10:56] Rudy Wright and the Rizvy pool when everybody else just hanging out over there?

[00:10:59] You know, like a into Star Wars type Yoda type thing?

[00:11:02] Like I get that.

[00:11:04] Like something will happen.

[00:11:05] They'll rebuild it in the meantime.

[00:11:08] I think they're messing it up.

[00:11:10] I really, there, I haven't heard a lot.

[00:11:12] I haven't heard a lot coming from city of Hickory on things.

[00:11:16] And I know it's early.

[00:11:17] I know it's early, but they've got to get in front of this.

[00:11:20] And the reason being, and I'll say it like this is because the naysayers on social media have more power than they think they do.

[00:11:27] Because it will sway public opinion.

[00:11:29] And if those people there currently in municipality offices right now, the city of Fickory want to keep their jobs.

[00:11:34] They need to get out in front of it and then you figure it out really quickly.

[00:11:37] What do you mean I get out in front of it?

[00:11:39] Like I'm talking about.

[00:11:40] Give me some plans.

[00:11:41] Figure it out saying, hey, listen, we have, and it's hard to make assumptions.

[00:11:46] I get that and they probably shouldn't make assumptions.

[00:11:48] However, they need, I think gas needs to be out there every single day giving people updates about what's going on.

[00:11:54] You know, it's Monday at 336 PM.

[00:11:57] I haven't heard enough from city of Hickory today.

[00:11:59] I agree and I know that there's social media.

[00:12:02] Do you know this you live in this world more than I do?

[00:12:04] I do.

[00:12:05] But when you hear the numbers of people that are on social media in this is a small portion of the population.

[00:12:11] And then people that are actually active on it,

[00:12:13] I think we give too much credence to a lot of these folks that can stir the pot.

[00:12:18] Now, I don't know if we need to have live updates like it's our baker.

[00:12:22] Like this is not something where we're, you know, there's actual life that's missing or truly endangered.

[00:12:28] This is not something like that.

[00:12:30] This is our thankfully.

[00:12:32] You are said it.

[00:12:33] Nobody got hurt.

[00:12:34] Right.

[00:12:35] State highway is involved.

[00:12:37] And now of course we can see here and talk about all the structural deficiencies across the country when it comes to bridges.

[00:12:42] Right as I report them.

[00:12:43] By the way, those bolts are a whole not thing.

[00:12:45] And I've seen bigger bolts on the towel rack.

[00:12:47] But don't make sure you say that's on the actual arch is not the bridge.

[00:12:50] We don't want to be, yeah.

[00:12:52] So there are two issues here because you talked about you're not driving under the bridge because of that.

[00:12:55] I don't think it's safe to drive under.

[00:12:57] Right.

[00:12:58] I went around.

[00:12:59] Yeah.

[00:13:00] See, I'll drive under it all day.

[00:13:01] Oh.

[00:13:02] I mean, what?

[00:13:03] I just think the sheer impact of the fall of 40 times.

[00:13:07] That's one thing.

[00:13:08] That's one thing.

[00:13:09] I think that one, the road, there's impact definitely.

[00:13:12] That road is whatever it's measured out to to hold on the bridge is going to be pale and comparison with what it actually is.

[00:13:19] I'm sure it's fine.

[00:13:20] I'm sure it's fine.

[00:13:21] How about that bridge, man?

[00:13:22] Well, that's what I'm saying.

[00:13:23] Hey, I agree with you completely but at the same time.

[00:13:26] Like, I just go last week drove over the Queensborough Bridge in New York and I'm looking over there thinking,

[00:13:30] how old is this bridge and how is it being like?

[00:13:35] They had people there.

[00:13:37] Obviously, right when it happened, it's right over a state highway.

[00:13:41] So, yet North Carolina, you got all these folks going to be in the city.

[00:13:45] So, yet North Carolina, you got all these folks coming there looking.

[00:13:50] Stuff happens but I am sure if there was anything where it's like this is even close.

[00:13:56] It's too high publicity for them to like even just sit there and say,

[00:14:00] Oh, it should be fine.

[00:14:01] There's no should be when people are going to look at the bridge.

[00:14:04] By me again, there's two issues here.

[00:14:05] There's the bridge and then there's the arches.

[00:14:07] The bridge being a horse.

[00:14:09] What priority one?

[00:14:11] Bridge.

[00:14:12] Right.

[00:14:13] The arches are absolutely secondary.

[00:14:16] And it's just optics.

[00:14:19] What I'm afraid of and kind of circling back to what I was just mentioning,

[00:14:23] it's public opinion does have its weight.

[00:14:29] So, and what this does is it gives naysayers the opportunity to always have an ace in the hole.

[00:14:37] Whenever they vote on anything, whenever any sort of project comes up and everything,

[00:14:41] you know what the first words would be out of their mouths?

[00:14:44] Hey, you remember there's arches on that work out for you.

[00:14:46] That's what I'm concerned about.

[00:14:48] Is that the progress that we've made as a city is now,

[00:14:52] we've gone three steps back and I'm not an ace there.

[00:14:58] Like, I love the arches.

[00:15:00] I love what they're doing in the city of Fickery.

[00:15:02] I love downtown.

[00:15:03] I love the river and we all can city walk everything.

[00:15:05] I thought the arches were cool when they were lit up.

[00:15:07] They look awesome.

[00:15:08] They're just a city walk, but all you want with the whole thing.

[00:15:11] Great, proponent number one, I do a podcast about Hickery for Christ's sake.

[00:15:15] Now, I'm not saying that those people have more voice than the people that the detractors have more voice than the proponents.

[00:15:23] However, it's going to start getting louder.

[00:15:26] The longer that that rubble sits on my bridge,

[00:15:29] the longer it's going to happen.

[00:15:31] And it just absolutely just pisses me off because, you know,

[00:15:36] I was always the one saying, oh, they're like, give them a chance.

[00:15:39] Like, you know, it's all going to work out in this thing.

[00:15:42] It makes the proponents kind of, got on the quiet idiots a little bit.

[00:15:47] And that's the one on the right of.

[00:15:49] And, you know, I don't want Hickery to be known for sinkholes and bridge collapses

[00:15:53] and, you know, and other and Zarr Baker.

[00:15:56] Like, that's crap.

[00:15:58] You know?

[00:15:59] And we were getting such good traction with, you know, all the folks that,

[00:16:03] I mean, we said them in the last podcast when we have people in town

[00:16:06] and they're visiting, they're like, dang, look at all the stuff that Hickery's got and everything else.

[00:16:10] And it just, and I don't want to be like, oh, I'm just, it's not going to happen anymore

[00:16:15] and, you know, everything else, we're going to rebuild it.

[00:16:18] But I know Hickery will turn it around.

[00:16:22] I've got faith in them.

[00:16:23] I've got faith in our people, but it just, as it sits now, man,

[00:16:28] it just, it just, like I said, it's deflating.

[00:16:30] Now, let's laugh to keep him crying, right?

[00:16:33] Did you all see those memes that were floating around?

[00:16:35] I didn't until you showed me a couple of times.

[00:16:38] Oh, man, the internet is golden sometimes.

[00:16:40] It really did.

[00:16:41] It went from, um, really making me, I was really kind of,

[00:16:46] kind of upset about it and because all those things that was just ran, ran it on again

[00:16:52] for another five minutes is like, well, all those thoughts were flooding through my head,

[00:16:55] you know, Saturday at four in the morning when I was up thinking about it.

[00:16:58] And then I was like, I heard that nobody was hurt and I was like, all right,

[00:17:02] this is named, you know?

[00:17:04] And, you know, so I've just got, I've got my fingers crossed man and lady.

[00:17:11] I'm just, I don't stop talking about what you take ever known me now.

[00:17:15] Well, I guess, Eric, what would you like to see happen there?

[00:17:21] Because part of my thing is, again, people that didn't like,

[00:17:24] there's so many different layers and ways to look at those.

[00:17:27] There are people that just didn't like the arches.

[00:17:30] It wouldn't have been my top choice.

[00:17:32] I'm not thinking of victory.

[00:17:33] We have a commission.

[00:17:34] I entrusted that you want to be the king of the creaks, unless I understand.

[00:17:38] So much effort, mug.

[00:17:40] That's just, it is.

[00:17:43] It is.

[00:17:44] So I wouldn't have been able to believe me.

[00:17:45] Don't go drinking on it.

[00:17:46] You say, five, eleven?

[00:17:47] Yep.

[00:17:48] It's okay.

[00:17:49] It's not your height, but yes.

[00:17:50] It's the number of your, uh, your mug definitely.

[00:17:52] You'd say, it's not my height.

[00:17:53] Yeah, exactly.

[00:17:54] No more on it.

[00:17:55] Um, so it wouldn't have been my top choice.

[00:17:58] Right.

[00:17:59] But what would you like?

[00:18:00] Okay, so let's just say, of course, they've got to do this investigation.

[00:18:03] See what happened.

[00:18:04] Clear the rubble and with you 100% the law.

[00:18:06] Like, I'm not trying to sit there and make a job one for everybody under the sun.

[00:18:11] But that's got to be cleared off and get to fix it.

[00:18:15] And then worry about rebuilding.

[00:18:17] What kind of stuff would, would you like to see come from this?

[00:18:21] I don't know, but get to fix it.

[00:18:23] That's what my grandma always said, girl, and I'm going to get to fix it and use something.

[00:18:27] Um, I am all for a beautification of our city.

[00:18:32] Like I said, a moved way and came back multiple times.

[00:18:35] Um, what I enjoyed about other cities was they were ahead of us in the sense that they would have artwork,

[00:18:40] um, walkable cities, downtown activities, events.

[00:18:46] So it's super excited that he agreed to have that.

[00:18:48] I wouldn't have been in favor of the arches of fit where my choice, but I do like the idea that we were trying to do something creative.

[00:18:56] In artistic and kind of pays homage to, you know, their mate that's made of woods who were known for our furniture.

[00:19:03] I don't really prefer to see that again.

[00:19:06] I would prefer something a little more modern probably more safe that could still be artistic.

[00:19:12] I make our city beautiful and welcoming.

[00:19:14] I just don't think it should be the same thing.

[00:19:16] And I don't know what the warranty covers.

[00:19:19] Well, yeah, that's the warranty.

[00:19:21] What the warranty voided whenever they used glue and screws to repair it before.

[00:19:28] Maya, some should be that that was given the green light by somebody.

[00:19:31] I mean, it was just repaired two months ago.

[00:19:34] Somebody have a very loud source from who sources say.

[00:19:39] Like does that void the same amount of the sections that were in place as it fell?

[00:19:45] Were the pieces that were glued.

[00:19:48] That did hold this podcast, the sponsored by Gorilla Glue, Gorilla Glue got dot com.

[00:19:55] I don't know what I want to see next.

[00:19:57] I loved the light aspect of it.

[00:20:00] Yeah.

[00:20:01] I think we could do so much more.

[00:20:02] I'll grab.

[00:20:03] Yeah, going back to your two-packing, bigge allogram.

[00:20:06] We have concerts on the bridge.

[00:20:08] I think that there's so many things that they can incorporate that still go with the flow of the whole city walk and other aspects that they put in place down near the square and whatnot.

[00:20:22] I do think there needs to be something I do think that.

[00:20:26] I hate the nasaers dancing on the grave of the arches.

[00:20:29] Like I said, it wasn't wouldn't have been my top choice.

[00:20:31] They're doing a hat dance on it.

[00:20:32] They are.

[00:20:33] And I will say this too.

[00:20:37] Those are the folks that don't step up with any ideas or step up into the arena when it's called upon.

[00:20:43] There's people that I invoke.

[00:20:44] Yeah, so honestly and I guess that's this is not most people but I really don't care what they have to say.

[00:20:50] Yeah, I'll give that.

[00:20:52] But they have a voice and they have a loud voice.

[00:20:55] Their microphone is louder.

[00:20:57] Their bark is louder than their bite.

[00:20:59] Oh, of course.

[00:21:00] But I think I said it on here and I know I've said it in other audiences.

[00:21:06] But like the Parisians weren't in love with the FW tower when it was built.

[00:21:10] Like if you look up articles when that was put together,

[00:21:12] it was lamb based it up one side down the other.

[00:21:14] I am not trying to say in a hundred years, people are going to come across the world of eat barbecues

[00:21:18] and get engaged under the hickory arches.

[00:21:20] But it's always something to get used to.

[00:21:23] And you have to, you got to, if you're sitting on the right track,

[00:21:27] you're still going to get run over if you don't move forward.

[00:21:29] So we were going in a direction we were doing something and that's kind of back to your thought.

[00:21:34] We need to not slow down and stop.

[00:21:37] We need to keep going 100% stay the course.

[00:21:41] Yeah.

[00:21:42] Continue this, let this be a bump in the road and just keep on getting it.

[00:21:45] Now we're going to the warranty now if they put something like that,

[00:21:48] I'll say again we're asking for all right exactly.

[00:21:50] So does the warranty cover a rebuilding process?

[00:21:53] That's what I'm saying.

[00:21:54] So like does the warranty is like, oh, way, if this falls down,

[00:21:58] we'll come put another one up.

[00:21:59] Now I am not a naysayer and that I would be against that up once I'm down the other because you're giving them all the ammo they need.

[00:22:07] And to, hey, it was a good run.

[00:22:10] Nobody got hurt thankfully.

[00:22:12] Yeah, cut your losses.

[00:22:13] Let's what's next.

[00:22:14] Yes, that's not it.

[00:22:15] I think they should take the wood and make something out of it.

[00:22:18] Yes.

[00:22:19] Hey, that's what we do right.

[00:22:20] We do right.

[00:22:21] There you go.

[00:22:22] Make benches around.

[00:22:23] Have a great big chair.

[00:22:24] Go tiny hands with homeless.

[00:22:25] Oh, yes.

[00:22:27] The iconic kicker he arches.

[00:22:28] Oh, how long were they up?

[00:22:30] Well, kids.

[00:22:31] Seven lines.

[00:22:32] The wood's fresh.

[00:22:33] Yes.

[00:22:34] It is.

[00:22:35] You know, thanks a lot, Oregon.

[00:22:37] So yeah, you know, I think that back to the conversation of where does the book stop?

[00:22:44] I don't know.

[00:22:46] I don't know because it's not like Hank guesses out there with a level when a screwdriver doing this.

[00:22:51] It was, you know,

[00:22:54] a mayor is a cheerleader.

[00:22:56] Like, yeah, they do they lead meetings and they're the cheerleader for the town.

[00:23:01] They are not paid.

[00:23:02] They do not have it off.

[00:23:03] They do not hire the staff.

[00:23:05] Oh, sure.

[00:23:06] They're paid.

[00:23:07] Well, they're, they're, they're paid.

[00:23:08] I mean, they're even the Charlotte mayor is like the largest city in the country.

[00:23:11] That's not a full time job.

[00:23:13] It's a bigger hit job.

[00:23:14] Hey, what's the word for city council management?

[00:23:17] Right.

[00:23:18] This podcast is sponsored by Jackson Creative, a custom communication agency.

[00:23:22] Located in downtown Hickory, North Carolina specializing in online content creation to learn more.

[00:23:29] Visit the Jackson Creative dot com Jackson Creative.

[00:23:33] We tell your story.

[00:23:36] So let led by one would currently.

[00:23:39] Right.

[00:23:40] And if it weren't wood wouldn't be out there.

[00:23:42] Yeah, I don't know exactly exactly.

[00:23:43] So we have lost back to not trying to get an e on this podcast, but you know,

[00:23:47] you took the lead on this one.

[00:23:48] We are past the point now where shit happens.

[00:23:51] I am not saying that this, there are different piles.

[00:23:53] Yes.

[00:23:54] Yeah.

[00:23:55] And this, I understood is a 40 ton pile.

[00:23:57] It's a big pile.

[00:23:58] But there is still a little bit of an element of now.

[00:24:01] I'm not sitting there saying everybody is be fired.

[00:24:04] You're not either.

[00:24:05] No.

[00:24:06] But man, sometimes just it's easy for us as a side about Monday morning quarterback.

[00:24:13] So I knew that was going to fall.

[00:24:15] Yeah.

[00:24:16] Yeah.

[00:24:18] My issue again is that I don't want this to be a huge setback for our city.

[00:24:26] 100%.

[00:24:27] You know, and maybe we can take the wood and fill up the sink holes with them.

[00:24:31] I don't know.

[00:24:32] Whatever.

[00:24:33] But I'm with you.

[00:24:34] I drove by that.

[00:24:35] I drove out of the prison and I looked up there and I was like the longer that six.

[00:24:38] Yes.

[00:24:39] It's a scar.

[00:24:40] A little bit of a mark.

[00:24:41] But I think how we rebound from it.

[00:24:44] I think we're going to be able to do that in quotes because again, no one was hurt.

[00:24:47] Is we come together as a community and figure out what to do to move forward instead of just continuing to say,

[00:24:56] Oh, we knew this was happened or it was the engineer's father, the construction company's father or what it may be.

[00:25:04] But I think we rebound from it by coming together and figuring it out instead of bashing each other.

[00:25:09] Yeah.

[00:25:10] Everybody, this is a war with everybody so quick.

[00:25:12] Yeah.

[00:25:13] And we just got to take a step back back, you know, hey, it sucks.

[00:25:17] Right.

[00:25:18] It does suck.

[00:25:19] Yeah.

[00:25:20] And that's the thing.

[00:25:21] And we always keep going back to the naysayers because we don't, we just are tired of hearing people say the same things ever and ever again.

[00:25:28] Number one, I'm going to spell this myth too.

[00:25:30] The $750,000 that was used for that wasn't a beautiful occasion grant.

[00:25:34] You can't use it for roads, stop putting it on socials.

[00:25:37] You just can't.

[00:25:38] I mean, they, if you have got there with some cement mix and fix your own pile.

[00:25:43] They don't have the facts, right?

[00:25:45] And then yeah, they'd rather go on social media or spread negativity about things that aren't factual or all for any positive resolution.

[00:25:55] Right.

[00:25:56] It takes time or do anything like you said they probably didn't even visit downtown.

[00:26:00] Yeah.

[00:26:01] Or even listen to a hickership or podcast.

[00:26:04] But you know what, maybe we'll go blast it all over social media for that and get some response.

[00:26:08] Yeah, for sure.

[00:26:09] It takes time and effort to be informed.

[00:26:11] Yeah.

[00:26:12] And even time that I don't always spend on it.

[00:26:16] Right.

[00:26:17] And we did not in full disclosure.

[00:26:18] I did not reach out to the city for a comment because I know they're busy.

[00:26:22] I don't think it could be fair at this point.

[00:26:24] No, it's not true media.

[00:26:26] But just as, you know, as somebody who co-host a hickership or broadcast,

[00:26:33] I thought it was be pertinent for us to at least get our voices out there to talk about this because not to say,

[00:26:38] my voice weighs heavier than anyone else.

[00:26:41] But, you know, we have from the onset been cheerleaders for our city and we never take the vantage point of pooping any of it because we are proponents.

[00:26:52] We won't things to be awesome in our town.

[00:26:56] Like, you know, when things like this happen, it does affect everybody.

[00:27:01] So before you go out there and talk amongst your friend about how what I, you know, what could have been better and everything else, think about what do you do?

[00:27:10] What are you doing?

[00:27:11] You know, I mean, it's even just as simple as, are you shopping local or are you just supporting people?

[00:27:16] You know, I mean, it starts at the very ground level.

[00:27:19] And yeah, I mean, it sucks that that that that happened, but, you know, it's going to they're going to clean it up.

[00:27:26] They're going to fix the bridge. They're going to do something.

[00:27:28] But it's just a matter of time. Now, if you want to talk about, you know, time taking to do things and everything else, you can go back and listen to our other podcast and we have had council people on that have described why it does take long for things to happen.

[00:27:44] Now, if you want a time on, we voted on the bond in 2014.

[00:27:48] Yes, it is 2012. Yes, it has been eight years. I get it.

[00:27:53] Just got to be patient. You know, I don't think any of our tax dollars have been spent yet. Correct or not?

[00:28:00] Yeah, um, depends on how you look at it.

[00:28:04] Has our body values been raised because of the bond yet?

[00:28:06] No, and part of that is the overall bond project. So 45 million is 40ish is probably 40.

[00:28:14] I mean, what's 40 basically, they basically doubled it by taking longer, but also that we've gone over this, but just to recap.

[00:28:22] 14 you vote for it. That gives you the opportunity to actually go get certified and go get up to New York to the credit agency.

[00:28:29] So you can actually issue bonds in a certain rating.

[00:28:32] That doesn't happen on the day after the vote. So that takes time.

[00:28:35] Then you've got to have your plans. Then you have to go to big.

[00:28:39] Then you've got to create the bond commission, the people have to have the input on what happens.

[00:28:43] And you can imagine a small town, 40,000 people.

[00:28:46] It's still 40 people in a room that are trying to give their opinions, right?

[00:28:51] All of this takes time. And thankfully so they were able to get a lot more money by leveraging private grants, federal grants.

[00:28:59] Like you said, beautifacate like this 40 and also the time is good because one of the things was the business park.

[00:29:06] The business park, which is now trivia, initially was going to have a build out plan to 20 30 if I'm not mistaken where the hope was to have it full.

[00:29:14] Well they already filled it out and are buying more acres.

[00:29:18] So the sooner that filled out, like you said, way less likely to see our taxes go up because guess who pays the majority of taxes?

[00:29:25] Sorry, John, you said, it's not you. It's the businesses.

[00:29:28] Right. So the more we get those, the more the businesses that don't get incentives to move here.

[00:29:33] Yeah.

[00:29:34] Even just a different podcast.

[00:29:35] Well it is, but I'll talk, you got the wrong guy on the podcast.

[00:29:38] I know what's talking about incentives.

[00:29:40] You get kickbacks, pace kickbacks is the wrong word.

[00:29:43] You get incentive structures are based on you're going to create x jobs.

[00:29:47] You're going to invest so much. We will give so much back over a short period of time.

[00:29:51] Right. We can't give back what we don't get as a city.

[00:29:54] It's not a abatement. That's against the law for the state and the care on it to avoid taxes abatement.

[00:30:00] We reimburse based on structures. Once those are all hit average wages, all these things legal document.

[00:30:06] So you are giving back some money and keeping some.

[00:30:11] So yeah, you can sit there and say, oh, they're getting all these tax breaks. They aren't getting paid to come here.

[00:30:15] They're getting some discounts to incentivize them to move quicker to higher people to at certain wages to get here.

[00:30:21] Sure. So another podcast, another story.

[00:30:24] But all that to say, yes, they're still hitting those numbers early on.

[00:30:28] Is lowering that. So when all those reimbursements come up in five to ten years,

[00:30:33] usually the typical timeline, then all the tax money comes to the city slash county.

[00:30:38] In your plus one on abatement on big SAT words, you get your plus one.

[00:30:42] Well, I feel like I learned more in the last three minutes of him speaking than I did in,

[00:30:47] I don't know, whole year of economics class.

[00:30:49] Right. Don't get it for the education.

[00:30:51] That was not the walk side rise.

[00:30:53] That was it.

[00:30:55] It was already pretty big.

[00:30:56] Right.

[00:30:58] And that's always, and you know, I had the luxury of working for the EDC.

[00:31:01] We've got a great group. I learned a ton there.

[00:31:03] But, and that's the hard thing like we talk about informed citizens.

[00:31:06] Right.

[00:31:07] And I always feel bad for any politician at any level because I think everybody's got,

[00:31:12] not going wood for the most part. You have to assume good intent for running for all this.

[00:31:17] Well, you can only get so much in a sound bite.

[00:31:20] Right.

[00:31:21] When you got different levels of understanding on knowledge on the spectrum of your citizenry.

[00:31:26] For someone to take the time to really go through each of that one on one,

[00:31:29] it's already time for me to run four years from now.

[00:31:31] By the time I've gone through the city of Hicaria alone, it just gets tough.

[00:31:34] And so it's hard to really explain all of it.

[00:31:36] Yeah. You know, and that's the thing like you can't have Johnkey public going out there.

[00:31:41] I mean, all of the aforementioned things that me now,

[00:31:44] we're talking about is available to you to know.

[00:31:49] Like you have the internet, the same, the same device that you're spewing hate on

[00:31:54] to the same internet device that you could educate yourself.

[00:31:58] Educate yourself. Correct.

[00:31:59] But please try and use your information sources so that you get multiple streams of absolutely.

[00:32:04] Just know whatever you're researching it's being.

[00:32:07] Come out of your cave and use your gorilla thumbs and type in a bait met and then see what happens.

[00:32:11] You're really glue and gorilla glue.

[00:32:12] Yeah, we gotta be today.

[00:32:13] Yes.

[00:32:14] You can get at the same device.

[00:32:16] You can get Harambe gorilla glue.

[00:32:18] You mean with the iconic city arches?

[00:32:20] That's well as information about a bait met.

[00:32:22] You can speak to me for more information and for this podcast.

[00:32:25] So I'm going to switch gears just a little bit for the last few minutes of our podcast and bring up one thing.

[00:32:32] And we were talking about this all-flying, and I wanted to bring it up.

[00:32:36] So there's one thing in life that I really do appreciate.

[00:32:40] And that's my driver's license.

[00:32:42] There's also another thing that I really like doing is drinking beers.

[00:32:45] There's things don't match up if you want to want too many of one and then do the other.

[00:32:50] Right?

[00:32:51] I'm sitting on your license.

[00:32:53] So how many license do you have?

[00:32:54] I just have the one license.

[00:32:56] With his license.

[00:32:57] Right, this is given to me.

[00:32:59] Right. So my point is that a lot of entrepreneurial spirit and the reason why people start businesses is to ease pain.

[00:33:11] They see something that is an issue and then they try to build business around that issue to alleviate pain.

[00:33:18] Right.

[00:33:19] My pain is that I can't find a ride after I've had a couple beers at a restaurant.

[00:33:23] There's no such thing as lift in this town.

[00:33:26] There's no such thing as Uber in this town and the cab service is no longer.

[00:33:29] Yep, cab service closed.

[00:33:31] And cab service.

[00:33:32] And cab driver is the same one guy as your lift driver.

[00:33:36] Right.

[00:33:37] So I'd also want to divert this conversation to the only restaurant tour on this podcast.

[00:33:44] You have to deal with these things every day.

[00:33:46] You have customers that you know they might have one more glass of wine they should have.

[00:33:51] Maybe have drink before they got to your place and you weren't realizing you're sort of one and all of a time.

[00:33:56] You know, and you need to get them home and they drink.

[00:33:59] Right.

[00:34:00] So you know what I think?

[00:34:01] What are you doing?

[00:34:02] Are you taking them home?

[00:34:03] Yes.

[00:34:04] So my husband or myself, not lying, December we had a like bridal party bachelor at, you know, they just wanted a nice dinner and some good cocktails.

[00:34:13] They weren't from, one of them was from Hickory.

[00:34:16] But most of them were from like Charlotte, Rally.

[00:34:18] This was their kind of meeting point.

[00:34:21] Came to our restaurant.

[00:34:22] I could definitely tell they had been drinking having a good time.

[00:34:24] Great.

[00:34:25] Your brought a party.

[00:34:26] Yeah.

[00:34:27] They waited on Uber.

[00:34:29] They each were on their phones trying to Uber and lift and cab for an hour and a half to know a veil.

[00:34:34] Finally the mom said and she'd been drinking as well.

[00:34:37] Well, I'll just drive myself absolutely not known of your driving.

[00:34:40] So myself and my manager took my car and then we drove their car because they were eight ladies, seven ladies.

[00:34:48] Right.

[00:34:49] Took them in their car while I followed them in mind, dropped them off with their home and then drove all the way back.

[00:34:55] Yeah.

[00:34:56] Because there is, in Hickory, yeah, there is nothing available for people here.

[00:35:02] So with that, how are we like, what?

[00:35:06] Where is it because do you think that there's, is it because of staffing on a Uber and lift level?

[00:35:13] Is it just because there's nobody driving the same reason where we can't get people to work on the other service jobs?

[00:35:19] I mean, like, what's like, what do you think's going on?

[00:35:22] Well, I mean, this has been an issue for a while.

[00:35:29] Even if it's greenway, which is our public transportation bus system to be nice about it.

[00:35:35] And at least we have that.

[00:35:37] But if the taxis were getting service, they would stay in business.

[00:35:42] Right.

[00:35:43] So they can't wait for your one call a month and pay their bills.

[00:35:48] No, no, I get it.

[00:35:49] I get it.

[00:35:50] And like Erica mentioned before, like they closed your own COVID.

[00:35:53] Yes.

[00:35:54] Everybody was sheltering in place and had to be at home by the way.

[00:35:57] Everybody was getting hammered out.

[00:35:59] Yeah.

[00:36:00] Now that there's an opportunity, everybody's not sheltering in place anymore in, in out in, in public and being more social.

[00:36:09] There's a demand.

[00:36:11] The cab stands still staying in out there.

[00:36:13] You know, like, somebody going to open it back up?

[00:36:15] I mean, I would be shocked if the cabs will open back up.

[00:36:18] Right.

[00:36:19] So do you think because the demands that there is not going to happen?

[00:36:23] I would venture to say if there was a reliable resource for the cabs,

[00:36:28] four cab service people would use them more.

[00:36:31] I'll tell you this and I don't mind whom whom those people because there's cab people over there.

[00:36:36] They're not listening to this podcast.

[00:36:38] They sucked.

[00:36:39] Yeah.

[00:36:40] Like in, and you can ever get it.

[00:36:42] You can ever get a cab.

[00:36:43] They were of the different right.

[00:36:45] So all these things I'm talking about.

[00:36:47] A status.

[00:36:48] Yeah.

[00:36:49] Not happy individuals.

[00:36:50] They were older.

[00:36:51] And this is not New York City where you go down and hail the cab.

[00:36:54] I mean, we're there and everywhere.

[00:36:55] I don't think cabs will ever come back to hit crazy.

[00:36:57] But I do think there is opportunity for Uber.

[00:36:59] Just knowing that's the answer.

[00:37:01] That's it.

[00:37:02] The restaurant.

[00:37:03] And this isn't even a bar.

[00:37:04] Tim restaurant.

[00:37:05] In noon, there is a proprietor of a, I'm, I think it's called the,

[00:37:11] the Goober or something to the effect where somebody has taken out,

[00:37:15] you know, Providence from the war has decided that he's going to go out and,

[00:37:19] and take a picture around.

[00:37:21] I don't, I'm not sure if you can have their number.

[00:37:23] Yeah.

[00:37:24] One hundred percent.

[00:37:25] Okay. So I'm wondering if, if Hickory has,

[00:37:28] you know, anybody that would want to do that?

[00:37:30] Well, I, let me ask you this.

[00:37:32] I mean, everybody, why would you skip that when we have the global

[00:37:37] brand of Uber already in place with an app,

[00:37:41] because Uber is not a transportation.

[00:37:44] It is a technology company.

[00:37:46] Yeah.

[00:37:47] So if the technology is in place where I don't have to remember a number,

[00:37:51] or I already got the Uber app on my phone.

[00:37:53] And it's already locked into my credit cards.

[00:37:55] I'm not to fumble around and forget or lose that.

[00:37:58] Right.

[00:37:59] You know, how do we recruit and get a base of folks for that?

[00:38:04] But at the same time, we don't own the structure for how they get paid,

[00:38:08] what their requirements and service.

[00:38:10] That was an issue with Uber and lived is that they were all,

[00:38:14] independent contractors and they weren't getting a solid wage.

[00:38:17] And then people weren't exactly feeling safe in some of these,

[00:38:20] some of these rides and it was just like that.

[00:38:22] And I know that was years ago when I know a lot of stuff has changed.

[00:38:24] But of course, I've not paid that much attention because we don't really have

[00:38:28] much of it here so I never really, but like what are the ages?

[00:38:31] Like we do have the college here, like what age do you have to be to be a driver?

[00:38:37] I mean, we have a population that is skewing younger

[00:38:40] that's at least more adapt to the phone and be able to use that.

[00:38:43] Like the taxi is gone.

[00:38:45] Like, and I volunteer at the suitcase in and they started a,

[00:38:49] the hope project, you know, helping a lot of their client base trying that

[00:38:53] are interested in getting work, finding them jobs,

[00:38:55] transportation, obviously, as a huge issue.

[00:38:57] So we've been working with Greenway when you have a static route.

[00:39:01] That's tough.

[00:39:02] And you know, I kind of, how, a town like Hickory based in manufacturing

[00:39:06] is when there were families they could have

[00:39:08] and we're going back, I'm going back 60 years folks.

[00:39:11] So there's not me saying this is how it should be.

[00:39:14] But, you know, mom and aunt could stay home with helping with the kids

[00:39:18] and then you could have one truck and then the five guys,

[00:39:21] sons, uncles would drive to the factory and work.

[00:39:25] Everything's being taken care of a home.

[00:39:26] Everybody kind of lived together and helped it.

[00:39:28] And now that's not that world but we're still in that place where we have a lot

[00:39:32] of that manufacturing base.

[00:39:33] It's not like we've got the friends and family here that are helping

[00:39:37] so there's just this evolution of where we are not only great town

[00:39:42] have all the amenities but still working at that.

[00:39:46] We have this traditional pole from what we were and what really got us

[00:39:51] where we are and we got one foot into this younger,

[00:39:55] skewing population that's coming in which is what we wanted.

[00:39:58] Yes.

[00:39:59] That might be a little more mobile and so we're just in that weird spot.

[00:40:02] But I think the answer is like what you guys said it is still that

[00:40:05] that rideshare sort of program where the infrastructure is in place.

[00:40:08] We don't have to invent it or take that risk as an entrepreneur and

[00:40:12] man I hope I get two calls tonight to help pay the rent.

[00:40:16] Well you know, what's killing me as an entrepreneur who is getting right open

[00:40:23] up in the music venue who's going to be serving alcohol.

[00:40:26] Is having a thousand people leave there venue every single night with without a

[00:40:31] safe at home.

[00:40:32] That scares me and I'm sure an air he's just scared of everybody

[00:40:38] because if we're on the road, you know, from a liability standpoint

[00:40:43] that's you know and I'm sure air he's wrestling with us every single night

[00:40:46] too.

[00:40:47] There's got to be a way to bridge the gap but out this fire.

[00:40:52] So is it in sentence from these Rochester companies to give folks more money

[00:41:00] to up the fairs?

[00:41:02] Listen, my biggest concern when and I think a lot of this and I also even

[00:41:06] preface this by saying I know people who have gotten DUOs and the lot of the

[00:41:10] reasons where they decided to drive home is because they want to get their car home.

[00:41:14] Yeah.

[00:41:15] So you know I think there might be opportunity for somebody to create a service

[00:41:20] that does that and I'm not saying that it's me or anybody else but if we had a more

[00:41:25] robust ride sharing opportunity in Hickory and it was affordable, I'd be bored using.

[00:41:30] Well, if I can pay somebody $20 to take me my life home or take me home and leave

[00:41:36] my wife somewhere, that's fine.

[00:41:38] Well, and also two things to even to your get into the car home thing.

[00:41:42] One is when you know you have accessible Uber ride with or that might be.

[00:41:47] You're going to go or you leave your car home with this.

[00:41:49] It's both, you get that ride both ways and then too we're also in a place where it's not like

[00:41:54] we're in some downtown where one you're something will vandalize your car or you'll have a ticket.

[00:41:58] Right.

[00:41:59] You can pretty much park where you're overnight.

[00:42:01] Over night, no tickets, no in no boot on your car when you come out the morning.

[00:42:05] We have a lot of that is favorable as like oh, it's my car safe here.

[00:42:10] That's not the problem.

[00:42:11] It's just now you need to get back to it the next day.

[00:42:14] Well, it's the next day friends or whoever's I.

[00:42:16] I agree with you.

[00:42:17] I think the more we have everything developing and growing and the snapback of getting people back out.

[00:42:23] I was in New York last weekend and it is so nice to just sit there and you pull up the app.

[00:42:30] Yeah, you know how long you wait in New York for an Uber?

[00:42:33] One two minutes tops.

[00:42:35] I had three cancel just because I couldn't get out of the checkout line fast enough.

[00:42:39] Fast enough.

[00:42:40] Right.

[00:42:41] And there's pop on the next one and we're gone.

[00:42:43] Yeah.

[00:42:44] So it's I just don't want those those days are nice.

[00:42:46] I just don't want the and I just don't want the history culture to be people driving around

[00:42:52] hammered right guess what y'all.

[00:42:56] Yeah, well, and I was going to say that's it.

[00:42:58] Well, and we don't have you can only catch many.

[00:43:00] There's so many different places to go as well.

[00:43:02] So we've got a lot of cool places in Newton now.

[00:43:04] I think that's what we brought this up.

[00:43:06] So I don't go there because I know I'm going to be drinking more of a hike.

[00:43:10] So, but if I knew we had Uber, I would go there all the time.

[00:43:14] But I may want to go have a beer there and then maybe go a mile down the road and have

[00:43:19] a beer somewhere else.

[00:43:20] Yeah, same way with like Vuma and downtown has so many great restaurants and bars.

[00:43:25] But you can't walk shut out for thanks.

[00:43:28] You can't walk to all of them.

[00:43:30] If you do go to fork, don't ask Erica to drop you home.

[00:43:33] No, please do it for me.

[00:43:35] Or the private room and request that.

[00:43:37] There you go.

[00:43:38] Yeah.

[00:43:39] I think on.

[00:43:40] I don't know.

[00:43:41] Love it.

[00:43:42] Love it.

[00:43:43] Renar private dining room.

[00:43:44] Have your own Uber.

[00:43:46] There's an opportunity and it just makes me think of the kids movie like robots.

[00:43:50] See a need, fill a need.

[00:43:52] I mean, everybody knows that's the case for stuff but it's.

[00:43:57] That's when it's something we need to fix especially for the 20s and 30s because

[00:44:01] it's one of the things I've always said hey it's a great place to be when

[00:44:05] you're 30s have a family.

[00:44:07] 20s maybe not so much but like that's one of the things that would help to make this area

[00:44:13] more attractive friend that's getting married in April and all of her guests are from

[00:44:18] out of town and her biggest fear is how are they going to get you know to and

[00:44:24] from my rehearsal dinner back to the hotel and then the wedding reception is just going to be

[00:44:30] you know a nice big rentable.

[00:44:32] Exactly.

[00:44:33] So she is looking honestly to rent a bus because we have no Uber.

[00:44:39] So there's definitely, I think there's a need and it will help us also you know attract more people

[00:44:44] because we are if you talk with many pits at the Hickory Metro Center on the tourism board

[00:44:50] I think she said last October was record breaking as far as money coming into Hickory

[00:44:55] more and more people are coming here like tourists and to travel because it is such a cool place.

[00:45:00] So we're going to have a couple of hotels.

[00:45:01] We're getting more that every speaker dirt now that you drive by they're putting a house on

[00:45:05] like the stuff we've been talking about for five ten years.

[00:45:08] The tourism is up for us so I think it's only a natural but we got to see you.

[00:45:13] But I do agree with you like what and I don't know the nuance with the current

[00:45:18] rideshare program so we all think of a no right.

[00:45:21] But is there an opportunity or a way to promote people participating in that world?

[00:45:30] I mean because even then like above and beyond it's like people in other cities are already doing

[00:45:36] much more of the food delivery service.

[00:45:39] Like that's the next step from that.

[00:45:41] I mean it's just there's plenty of door dashers in Hickory.

[00:45:44] I mean it's the same people.

[00:45:46] They turn the app on.

[00:45:50] If I'm in the back seat and I smell more and that's not all chicken food.

[00:45:53] So I'll just say it like this.

[00:45:56] So it's a double edged store right?

[00:46:00] So I went for I did not drink alcohol at all for over ten months.

[00:46:07] Okay I went a long, long time without drinking just also just see if I could do it.

[00:46:12] And I was going for a year and missed about two months.

[00:46:15] The funky Tory of a national broke me as it breaks many people.

[00:46:19] Right it's so it's so good.

[00:46:21] So shit I forget where I was going with it.

[00:46:24] Yeah yeah sure.

[00:46:26] Sorry sorry.

[00:46:27] Door dash.

[00:46:28] But yeah I'm back there.

[00:46:30] I'm back now.

[00:46:31] So when the last thing that I would really like to do is take around a bunch of drunk people.

[00:46:36] Yeah.

[00:46:37] Drouven.

[00:46:38] They're like oh you're not drinking your drive and I'm like great.

[00:46:40] Yeah.

[00:46:41] They're paying having to drive around a bunch of different people.

[00:46:43] But I think we've covered enough today though.

[00:46:46] There's a lot to unpack.

[00:46:48] We appreciate you guys tuning in to Street Circle Bravo for your on the mesh.tv podcast network.

[00:46:53] If you're interested in being a sponsor on our show or any of those shows on our network, reach out to us at infoatmesh.tv for more information.

[00:47:00] We have to be talking about it.

[00:47:02] My name is Amber Moose.

[00:47:04] Michael McNally.

[00:47:06] Erica Boestead.

[00:47:08] It's a long hickory nuts.

[00:47:09] And I want to close it.

[00:47:10] Watch out for foreign horses.

[00:47:11] This is a great damn town.

[00:47:12] It is.

[00:47:13] Not low place.

[00:47:14] All the nice airs.

[00:47:15] Kiss it.

[00:47:16] Let's try it.

[00:47:18] Give some rills.

[00:47:19] Or don't.

[00:47:20] Or just stick around and maybe buy into it.

[00:47:22] Help us out of here.

[00:47:23] Just keep listening to us.

[00:47:24] Yeah that's fine.

[00:47:25] You might even learn something like a bait in it.

[00:47:28] Yes.

[00:47:29] See you later Hicken nuts.

[00:47:31] You've been listening to the mesh.

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