Over the past few weeks I've heard two rumors that are unverified but came from some pretty good sources so I'm wondering if they're true.
- Construction is allegedly coming to a halt on the new ballpark downtown. I don't get down there enough to see it on a day-to-day basis, but the last few times I've been downtown during the day I haven't seen any construction activity. Anyone know if the funding is okay and if construction is ongoing? Given the market meltdown I'm worried about everybody's funding, not just the ballpark!
- Mike Mulhern is allegedly being let go by the Winston-Salem Journal now that the NASCAR season is over. Although any cuts by the paper come as no surprise, I'm wondering why they'd cut the one guy covering a professional sport that actually makes sense here in Winston-Salem? Obviously there's no need for pro basketball or football coverage here, but NASCAR's an institution and Mulhern is one of the old hands covering it. Maybe the folks at the paper figure Mulhern will have as easy a time finding a job as anyone given his knowledge of, and connections to, the racing industry. Maybe, but I think they miss one of their best multimedia opportunities by letting him go. I suspect they could have made a pretty penny finding ways to get his expertise syndicated to other outlets as those folks cut back their non-core assets. How many markets don't have NASCAR as a core asset but have plenty of NASCAR fans? I'd say much of the south, southwest and western states.
Update: Received an email from Mike Mulhern this evening and he indeed was let go. He mentions it on his last video for JournalNow. He also mentions that he'll be back on another channel, most likely MikeMulhern.net. Go get 'em Mike.
Feel free to leave comments regarding either rumor. Like I said these aren't confirmed, just things I've heard through the grapevine, which is why I carefully inserted the word "allegedly" in the opening sentence of both rumors.
