By now you've probably already heard of John Hammer's announcement that the Rhinoceroses Times, a Greensboro institution for 21 years published its last print edition last Thursday. How could it be that such a mighty beast could have fallen?
Honestly, I don't know the answer but some are speculating it was John Hammer's support for a stricter noise ordinance that was his final undoing, the chink in the Rhino's armor that allowed it to die the death of a thousand cuts.
What evidence is there to support this? Circumstantial at best but before John stood in support of developer Roy Carroll and the noise ordinance he regularly had as many as 15 pages of Downtown club advertising in each week's edition of the Rhino Times. After his stand, none. Over half of his advertising gone.
If true this has even bigger consequences. If true, this means Greensboro's entertainment industry has more money to spend and more power than Greensboro's long powerful real estate and development lobby which John Hammer was betting on the keep his alternative weekly afloat. And if that's the case, those politicians who have been busy getting in bed with Greensboro's traditional status-quo will be getting their asses handed to them come November.
And if true, what a wonderful city Greensboro might become.
As for the Rhino, it will be missed even by liberals like myself. John and company uncovered a lot of local corruption over the years. I've known John Hammer for several years now and only wish him the best.
Honestly, I don't know the answer but some are speculating it was John Hammer's support for a stricter noise ordinance that was his final undoing, the chink in the Rhino's armor that allowed it to die the death of a thousand cuts.
What evidence is there to support this? Circumstantial at best but before John stood in support of developer Roy Carroll and the noise ordinance he regularly had as many as 15 pages of Downtown club advertising in each week's edition of the Rhino Times. After his stand, none. Over half of his advertising gone.
If true this has even bigger consequences. If true, this means Greensboro's entertainment industry has more money to spend and more power than Greensboro's long powerful real estate and development lobby which John Hammer was betting on the keep his alternative weekly afloat. And if that's the case, those politicians who have been busy getting in bed with Greensboro's traditional status-quo will be getting their asses handed to them come November.
And if true, what a wonderful city Greensboro might become.
As for the Rhino, it will be missed even by liberals like myself. John and company uncovered a lot of local corruption over the years. I've known John Hammer for several years now and only wish him the best.
