Good reads

Adrian and Nicki have been doing some good work over at Athens World ...

- Nicki discusses Melanie Daniel's column regarding addressing the teen pregnancy rates and, safe to say, I'm definitely more on Nicki's side. I've felt Daniel's columns have been rather shallow, though this one at least attempted to make a coherent argument. One thing Nicki didn't take on directly was the notion that putting teens in same-sex schools actually, based on my research, has the opposite effect regarding their sexual activity. In fact, I had a conversation with a friend who works in this field just a few days before this column came out who was noting this exact thing ... that it actually has the opposite result.

- Adrian tackles the proposed development along West Broad Street and offers some solid commentary on it. I might disagree slightly regarding whether or not this was a negotiating tactic by the developers - I actually think they wanted to build something that tall and thought it wasn't a big deal - though I do concur that typically those types of negotiation don't really work. Ultimately, I do think this type of development (the non-six-story ones of course) are the types of things we want to bring to downtown and its surroundings, so I'm optimistic the final product will be one beneficial to all.

- Nicki offers a quality rebuttal to a handful of letters regarding poverty, and I echo her statements. I'm quite frustrated with this notion that we attract poor people. Speaking as someone who, well, actually has some experience in this realm, that isn't the case at all. Most of the poor in this community are working poor who not only live and work here, but also have extensive histories in our community. This concept that we're some 'mecca for the poor' is misguided.