by: Mallory Pfeffer

For as long as I have lived in North Carolina and attended the schools here I remember there being conflict after conflict relating to the bus system for public schools. Basically, the issue is that Wake County has a system of taking buses into inner-city areas and moving students to schools all over the county.

The reasoning behind it is to provide inner-city students with the same opportunities that the students in more affluent areas receive, and to add to the diversity of schools. The problems are some students have to travel more than 20 minutes to get to their schools, they arrive incredibly early and get home incredibly late, they are ultimately being stripped from their communities and the transportation costs really add up.

A meeting held by the Wake County school board on Tuesday was organized to vote on whether or not diversity busing should continue. The session began at 10 a.m. and extended into the night, so clearly a great deal was discussed. Previously, a vote had been cast to end the busing program and have students attend the schools in their communities, so the board was organized to discuss the possibility of passing the resolution.

With representatives from the different communities, as well as the NAACP, at the meeting there were plenty of differing opinions available to turn it into a heated debate. Civil rights became the center of the argument. Some were arguing “racism,” others were arguing that they “opposed anything that lead to re-segregation,” and still others were arguing that “morality doesn’t support the new plan.”

By the end of the session the board decided to keep the new plan and end diversity busing in communities. The opposition aren’t going down without a fight. Rev. William Barber, president of the NAACP in North Carolina declared, “don’t get discouraged” and “get your head up! We’ve got some courts we may need to get into.”

Although the meeting may have ended and the vote was determined, it appears the situation is far from over.  With Wake County now receiving national attention , the government and school board should tread softly. If you were to type “Wake County’s response to diversity busing” into a Google browser nothing but negativity towards the school system appears. Officials should be doing what they can to combat all of the negative headlines, but yet they don’t seem to be trying very hard to maintain a positive image. Well, good luck Wake County, it seems you may be needing it.

Image: laffy4k

by Amy Gretenstein

On Friday Feb. 12, Revenue Secretary Kenneth Lay told The Associate Press that his agency is starting to delay refund checks for taxpaying individuals and businesses. Apparently this is because the state is out of money in its checking account.

The announcement has caused a bit of an uproar among citizens and politicians alike. However, the idea of delayed refunds isn’t new to the state. Last year, the state held back refunds but were not upfront about it. Not until angry taxpayers started complaining did the state speak up.

This year, the state and Gov. Bev Purdue have done a good job being more proactive about the delays. Gov. Purdue said not to be alarmed by the delays. Like many people around the state, North Carolina is living paycheck to paycheck and does not want to bounce any checks.

Typically during the months of February and March, refund checks arrive between two and six weeks. After April 15, checks typically take 12 weeks to arrive. Secretary Lay said the checks are delayed to a 12 week estimated arrival time.

Between the reassuring words of Gov. Purdue and Secretary Lay, I know I feel a little better about the delays. And because the state has been so honest about the delays, I feel even more encouraged to get my taxes done ahead of time so I can get my refund sooner than later.

Photo source: uzvards

By James Schlegelmilch

This past Friday more than 150 participants at a Raleigh YMCA Youth and Government conference fell ill, with complaints of stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and headaches.  Originally five of the 150 needed to be hospitalized, while a sixth was taken to a local area hospital a day later.  The conference was intended to be a role-playing event where high school students from across the state were taught how public policy is developed.

The symptoms described by more than 150 of the 1,000 participants closely resembled food-borne illness.  The symptoms began to arise hours after the conference was treated to a catered dinner on Friday evening.  As of Saturday, the catering company, Centerplate, was unable to be reached for a comment at both their Raleigh N.C. office, and their Stanford, Conn. headquarters.

Good crisis PR dictates that in order to handle this type of a situation a leader must step forward and take ownership of the problem. It must appoint a spokesperson to tell the truth, tell it fast and the organization must take steps to correct the problem and let everyone know what those steps will be.  This event occurred on Friday evening, and calls placed to the company on Saturday were neither answered nor returned.

Centerplate should have appointed someone to handle media relations at the outset of this development. It was almost two days before the company’s vice president came forward, yet said only that his company has “very strict policies and procedures to ensure the health of our guests,” neither confirming nor denying any aspect of the story.  Centerplate finally got it right when, on Sunday, the spokesperson said that they are complying with the health department’s inquiry while conducting an internal investigation of their own.

Public record shows that the Centerplate kitchen had been docked 18.5 points during health department inspections over the past year, with their last inspection just two weeks ago.  Should more of the students need hospitalization, become even more ill or the company health record be brought to light, will Centerplate have the crisis PR skills needed to overcome such a predicament?

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Photo: SuziJane

By Mallory Pfeffer

The anticipation around the Triangle was unmistakable this past Friday as people began preparing for the snow. Grocery store shelves were stripped of milk, eggs, bread and batteries, salt caked the highways, and people raced home from work to beat the oncoming storm.  We all awoke Saturday morning to a winter wonderland — children frolicked, couples went on walks, and families relaxed in the warm sanctuary of their homes.  Now, fast forward. The fun is over, and cabin fever is certainly setting in for Wake County students.

While most have returned to work and college co-eds are attending classes, Wake County has issued its third snow day for public schools. With yet another day of cancellations, fingers point towards the N.C. Department of Transportation (DOT). On Monday, ABC11 Eyewitness News anchor Barbara Gibbs reported that the DOT is being both “criticized and praised for their response” to the storm, and an N&O article released Tuesday stated that “there were varying degrees of success in how well streets were cleared of ice and snow.” Clearly, the DOT can’t please everyone.

I am certainly one of the disgruntled citizens scrutinizing the DOT for failing to venture into roads surrounding my house. The plows reached hundreds of other secondary streets, so why couldn’t they turn down mine when neighboring streets received attention? Jon Nance, chief engineer for the DOT, was interviewed by ABC11 Eyewitness News stating that, “some of the state’s smaller roads have taken a back seat to bigger roads, but…all the major thoroughfares were clear Monday and for some that’s good enough.” He also stated that at night “it was too cold and there was nothing on the roads but unplowable ice,” suggesting that at times there was little crews could do to improve the situation.

Whether or not the DOT is to blame for the snow and ice that is still on the roads and for the kids that are still out of school remains unsettled. Representatives continue to assert that every effort is being made to get the roads cleared, but it appears some roads are still unsafe. With a weekend forecast calling for a possibility of more freezing rain and snow can we trust the DOT to respond to our needs, or will see the same results? Looks like we will just have to wait and see.

Photo Source: Flickr

By James Schlegelmilch

The continuing saga of disgraced governor  Mike Easley and his affiliates seems to be far from over.  Just hours before the indictment of former Easley aide, Charles Ruffin Poole, Lanny Wilson announced he will step down from the North Carolina Board of Transportation.

Wilson said in a letter to Gov. Bev Perdue, that he has “become a distraction” and will remove himself from the board.  Wilson was appointed to the board by former N.C. Gov. Easley in 2001, and again in 2005.  Wilson had testified before the State Board of Elections about Easley’s campaign finance violations.

Just this past Monday, Wilson announced that he will also be removing himself from the board of the N.C. Turnpike Authority.  This announcement comes as those involved in all aspects of the Easley debacle are pointing to Lanny Wilson as one of the “key money men.”

Indictments continue to roll in, and one has to wonder if traditional crisis PR tactics are going to be enough to restore the face of North Carolina politics.  As this situation continues to unravel, more and more of our state leaders are attempting to right their wrongs.  Crisis PR was created to handle these types of situations.  But with honesty and responsibility falling to the wayside, are PR strategies enough to restore North Carolinians confidence in our state leaders?

Photo Source: whoohoo120

By Kelley Brackett

It’s official.  As of last Friday, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors unanimously elected William Randolph “Randy” Woodson as N.C. State University’s new chancellor.  Woodson, formerly serving as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs for Purdue University, is expected to serve his Wolfpack community more effectively than his predecessor-former Chancellor James Oblinger.

Oblinger was a source of constant media attention in his last days at N.C. State, as officials questioned his involvement in the hiring of former first lady Mary Easley in 2005 as well as his arranged pricey pay-out for State’s former provost.  As a public university, the scandal and its financial implications could not have come at a worse time.

The three critical steps of managing a public relations crisis are:

• Take ownership of the problem

• Tell the truth, tell it all and tell it fast

• The organization must take steps to correct the problem and publicy announce what those actions will be. 

Although, Oblinger may have tarnished his reputation as well as the university’s, he did accept responsibility for his actions.  In light of all the bad press, after a five year stint Oblinger recognized that stepping down from his role as chancellor would be the best thing for the university.

Moving forward, all eyes are on Woodson as he takes the reins. I anticipate with everyone keeping a firm grip on their wallets and an eye on state officials, Woodson will be under strict scrutiny in the months to come.

Knightdale McDonald’s Reacts to Hazardous Materials in the Restaurant

By Audrey Beckett

Examples of crisis public relations in our area are always noteworthy topics for this blog. Watching organizations communicate when they are forced to deal with bad press is an important indicator of the quality of their public relations. This past weekend a McDonald’s franchise in Knightdale, N.C., faced an unexpected PR challenge when 31 people were exposed to an unknown hazardous material in the restaurant around 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8. Six of those individuals were taken to local hospitals after having minor reactions such as burning eyes, nose and mouth.

The hazardous materials team from Raleigh Fire Department, Knightdale police, and firefighters and EMS personnel all responded to the situation. Authorities closed the store while searching for the source of the problem. They were unable to identify anything wrong with the store and allowed it to reopen at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. As of early Monday morning, authorities were still unsure of the cause or the identification of the material.

Thus far, McDonald’s response has been appropriate and praiseworthy. Franchise owner, Gary Thill released a statement on Sunday afternoon explaining that his business’ primary concern was the safety of customers and employees. He expressed that McDonald’s worked with authorities to investigate and emphasized that nothing was wrong with the restaurant’s air quality or ventilation system. He ended by assuring people the investigation will continue.

The statement was clearly directed by good PR counsel. Thill covered all the important crisis communication bases: he was honest and transparent about the situation, he emphasized the positives by letting people know no fault was found with the restaurant and indicated his restaurant would continue to investigate, reassuring people that he was taking the situation seriously and wouldn’t risk the health of his workers or customers.

Having good public relations in the immediate aftermath of a crisis is crucial and the Knightdale McDonald’s has done well with this. However, effective crisis communication requires that an organization continue to deal with the situation. Time will tell whether or not McDonald’s handles this crisis well.

The Mike Easley Campaign Finance Hearing Highlights Bad PR

by Audrey Beckett

This blog topic was way too easy to select. When thinking about the area’s current events, the folding story of former Governor Mike Easley’s possible misconduct presented a blatantly obvious case study in bad PR.

Over the past few months Easley’s reputation has been tarnished as one criminal, unethical charge after another has been brought against him. At this point, it seems unlikely that either his personal image or that of his administration will ever recover.

Easley’s State Board of Elections campaign finance hearing began on Oct. 26 and has generated an enormous amount of unfavorable press for the former governor and those linked to his administration. The News and Observer has slammed those in Easley’s camp for their inability to remember basic information while on the stand. North Carolinians aren’t buying the idea that these intelligent business and political leaders collectively have horrible memories. The Easley camp’s “we just don’t remember” approach has left the public skeptical and is undeniably an example of poor PR.

When not repeating the phrase “we don’t remember,” Easley and those from his administration are usually not talking at all. Easley’s absence at the first two days of the hearing was true to form for the former governor who has been very quiet as new allegations against him have come in waves over the past few months. His response has been lacking and any PR professional will tell you that no matter how bad the situation is, silence won’t make it better.

The most obvious PR issue here goes back to the allegations. If true, they represent a number of unethical and criminal activities. Good public relations requires both the PR representation and the client to be on the same page and to be acting ethically.  Granted, it’s hard to imagine what actions could have saved Easley’s image given the circumstances. It is painfully obvious, however, that the responses (and often lack thereof) are a case study for bad public relations.

Courtland Smith’s Death Continues To Impact Groups

By Audrey Beckett

Courtland Smith’s death after a confrontation with an Archdale, NC police officer on Aug. 23 has created media frenzy and spurred much public discussion. Smith, 21, was a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and president of its chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Police pulled Smith’s car over after he placed a 911 call asking for assistance. His shocking death is a tragedy that has left his family, university and fraternity devastated and struggling to know how to react.

The incident has remained a primary topic in North Carolina news as a Superior Court Judge ruled that videos taken from the mounted camera of the police officers’ car will not be released to the media. The judge explained that video recordings are not specifically covered under NC Public Records laws. The judge went on to say that releasing the videos would hinder the current investigation into the officers’ actions and if a decision is made to prosecute, could interfere with his right to a fair trial.

The reaction of North Carolinians has been far from unified. Some are glad to hear that the video will remain sealed, feeling that the last moments of Smith’s life should remain private. Many others feel that the public has a right to see the footage and that its release could bring clarity to the situation and play an important role in keeping law enforcement accountable.

In the midst of mourning over Smith’s death, many individuals and institutions must also deal with public relations issues that it has raised.

The Archdale Police Department is the group facing the harshest criticism. They now face larger PR challenges than the media, UNC, DKE or any other related groups. The department has the following mission statement, “…to protect life and property by providing exceptional municipal police services to our community in a partnership with the citizens of Archdale.” After Aug. 23, Archdale police are fighting to assure people that they truly are committed to protecting life.

The department has released recordings in which the police officers were informed that Smith was intoxicated, threatening suicide and possibly armed. In an interview, Archdale Police Chief Darrell Gibbs stressed that officers are trained to only use their guns when they feel their life is in danger. He said, “That’s what it’s there for, to protect your life or to protect a third party. There’s got to be something to make them do it.” Archdale police are emphasizing the message that these officers were well-trained and the shooting could only have been in response to a perceived threat. The officers have been placed on administrative leave and are under investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation.

Smith’s death was a shocking, devasting event that left all involved wrestling to make sense of it. Public relations efforts are especially difficult for these groups as they work to communicate important messages while mourning for Smith.

Local Gym Chain Tarnishes Reputation, Some Clients’ Credit

By Kathleen Mongero

Peak Fitness, a local chain of gyms once hailed as one of the most prominent in the area, has announced that they are closing all Triangle locations within the next quarter. After the media spotted the management team at the facility’s Glenwood Avenue location in downtown Raleigh being served with an official eviction notice on Monday, there was no denying that trouble was well on its way.

According to the News & Observer, the company has been suffering financially unbeknownst to its customers for quite some time. Peak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and simultaneously stirred up a lawsuit for its failure to reimburse pre-paid members as well as encouraging long-term contracts while under delicate financial conditions that included the cancellation of all of its bonds. The recent debacle has even led the Attorney General’s office to get involved, setting up restrictions in an attempt to protect clients that forbid the gyms from further entering into long-term or pre-paid contracts.

Unfortunately, the gym has the right to default your membership to another fitness facility in the event of a closing. This little tidbit of information that is purposely left out at the time of at the client agreement has left hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals in the Triangle scurrying to protect their credit.

One would assume that such controversial circumstances would merit a convenient process of cancellation, but that is not the case here. Try to contact ABC Financial, the billing company through which the gym operates, and they will explain to you that you may do one of two things: suck it up and work out at whichever fitness facility your membership has been transferred to, or proceed with their 30-day cancellation process during which ABC will continue to charge you for services not rendered for as long as it takes to complete.

If you are among the many individuals here in NC fighting the fitness company, take heart. The NC Attorney General’s Office has posted an item that specifically outlines your rights as a consumer in this case, as well as a link to file a complaint form, which can be e-mailed to them directly. Needless to say, it appears as though Peak Fitness has overstayed their welcome here in Raleigh, and will not be returning any time soon.