Today’s Forecast

48º | Mostly sunny | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise: 7:32 a.m. | Sunset: 5:23 p.m.

Miles to go

How walkable is Winston-Salem?

Downtown Winston-Salem has sidewalks and crosswalks to support pedestrians. | Photo by WStoday

Could you make it to work on foot? What about running your local errands without getting behind the wheel? Winston-Salem has an average walk score of 22 — which, according to walkscore.com, means it is a car-dependent city.

Downtown has the best walk score in the city at 79. The West End, Belview, Wachovia Highlands, and Forest Park neighborhoods round out the top five. However, only 15 out of 89 neighborhoods earned a score of at least 50, which means we’ve got work to do.

So, how can Winston-Salem take steps in a positive direction? Let’s take a look.

Getting things moving

Mobility challenges are already on the city’s radar. Walking audits could be complete as soon as October in the Reynoldstown + Slater Park neighborhoods.

Winston-Salem also has an 11-member Bicycle/Pedestrian/Active Mobility Advisory Committee. The mayor appoints citizens who apply to offer recommendations to city council.

Keeping pace with the future

In 2018, voters approved a $43.7 million dollar bond for street and sidewalk projects, like making pedestrian improvements to Polo Road between Reynolda Road and Long Drive. The New Walkertown Road traffic study — another project that seeks to upgrade sidewalks and add pedestrian refuges in medians — is under public review.

The Walkable Winston-Salem Pedestrian Master Plan was adopted in 2021. Data and public input informed a long-term strategy to making the entire city more suitable for walking.

Taking it in stride

So, what should you do when you want to go for a walk but notice a problem?

The city takes requests for new sidewalks from citizens. The city has to determine whether the project is feasible so it’s not a done deal once you submit a form, but it’s possible you can spearhead getting additional sidewalks added in your neighborhood.
If you come across a sidewalk that needs to be repaired or replaced, dial City Link at 311.

And don’t forget — there are greenways, walking paths, and pedestrian bridges that offer a breath of fresh air.

Asked

Do you think your neighborhood is easily walkable?

A. Yes
B. No

How do you get your steps

Events

Monday, Sept. 11

The Lab: An Experiment Space for Underground Art | Monday, Sept. 11 | 7:30-10:30 p.m. | Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts, 251 N. Spruce St., Winston-Salem | The Lab is a creative, collaborative, and supportive space for artists to workshop and showcase their art.
Opening Night of Winston-Salem Fashion Week: Sneaker Ball | Monday, Sept. 11-Saturday, Sept. 30 | 7 p.m. | Robert Hall, 500 W. 4th St., Ste. 100, Winston-Salem | $25 | Dress to impress with your favorite sneakers and celebrate opening night of the ninth annual Winston-Salem Fashion Week at the Sneaker Ball.

Tuesday, Sept. 12

Fall Plant Sale Preview | Tuesday, Sept. 12 | 12:30-2:30 p.m. | Reynolda Gardens – Education Wing, 100 Reynolda Village, Winston-Salem + virtual | Free | Register to get a look at plants that will be available to purchase for your garden at the fall plant sale.
Social Media Marketing for Small Business Series | Tuesday, Sept. 12 | 1-2:30 p.m. | The Enterprise Conference and Event Center, 1922 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Winston-Salem | Free | Learn how to use social media to grow your small business.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Travel

Travel and Outdoors

Road trip idea: Columbia, SC for the new retiree

Presented by a WStoday partner

South Carolina’s capital city offers great places to stay, like boutique hotel Graduate Columbia, and even more things to do. | Photo by Alice Kerley

Picture this: The kids are away at school (or have flown the coop for good), you’re no longer on the clock, and you’re ready to enjoy this time.

Pro tip: A ~2.5-hour drive from Winston-Salem, Columbia, SC is an ideal location for your next road trip. Here’s why:

Outdoor attractions, from high-energy thrills to serene parks and gardens
Signature fall events like Jam Room Music Festival and the SC State Fair — plus, SEC football
Golf courses for players of all skill levels
A wealth of arts and culture, from Trustus Theatre and the SC Philharmonic to the Columbia Museum of Art + more
A vibrant food and bev scene (including the city’s first riverfront biergarten)
Plenty of places to stay

Plan your trip

News Notes

Number

$33,000. That’s how much money Forsyth Technical Community College hopes to collect during its inaugural Day of Giving campaign. The Day of Giving was Sept. 6 but donations are still being accepted. As of Friday, Sept. 8, more than 80 donors have given over $4,000 and counting.

Cause

Nonprofit organizations can apply for grants up to $15,000 through the Black Philanthropy Initiative’s Inclusive Economy grants program until Monday, Oct. 16. The program supports initiatives that help Black-owned businesses and assist Black families with building wealth and achieving financial stability.

Learn

The Forsyth County Public Library system is seeing an increase in book borrowing after a 40% decline the past few years. Data shows library card holders checked out nearly 986,000 books in 2022 — and political thrillers are the most popular. (WFDD)

Biz

Four small technology businesses in Forsyth County will receive grants from the NC Board of Science, Technology and Innovation. The funds are to reimburse them for costs when submitting their products for federal government approval. (Winston-Salem Journal)

Real Estate

The former Hanesbrands Weeks plant on W. Hanes Mill Road is up for sale after Phoenix Acquisition LLC acquired the property for $15.5 million in August. The building was most recently a United Furniture facility but closed in July 2022 before the company declared bankruptcy. (Triad Business Journal)

Edu

Winston-Salem State University has been ranked by Money Magazine as one of the best colleges in America for the seventh year in a row. The publication gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars when considering factors like graduation rates, student-to-faculty ratio, net price for earning a degree, and employment outcomes.

Plan Ahead

Mark your calendar now. Gears and Guitars will take place May 24-26, 2024 in downtown Winston-Salem. The weekend cycling + music event normally happens in September but was held in August this year.

Try This

🎬 Dinner and a show

Make it a Monday with a movie at a/perture cinema and dinner downtown

a/perture is a nonprofit that is open seven days a week. | Photo by aperturecinema

Got a case of the Mondays? A/perture cinema’s Make it a Monday dinner + a movie deal is giving us all a reason to start the week off right.

Here’s how it works:

Find a flick you want to see.
Buy a ticket to the Monday evening showing at the box office or online.
Enjoy a meal at a nearby participating restaurant downtown. Twisted Pine, The Katharine, and Six Hundred° are even offering 20-25% discounts if you show your same-day ticket.
Head back to the theater on W. 4th Street and enjoy your film — or, do it in reverse and watch the movie then do dinner.

Pro tip: Save room for dessert. No movie is complete without a bucket of popcorn.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambridge

From the editor

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend a preview of the new exhibit at Reynolda House “Smith & Libby: Two Rings, Seven Months, One Bullet.” It was a story I had never heard and it was fascinating to see artifacts from the tragedy. I recommend checking it out now that it’s open to the public.

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