I have decided not to update this site on a regular basis; instead I will be providing political information relevant to Greensboro at GreensborPolitics.com. I also update my personal site, RyanShell.com, and invite you to check it out.

Should I decide to run for office again, I will once again start updating this site on a regular basis. In no way have my efforts to positively impact Greensboro stopped, but I will simply highlight my community involvement on the two previously mentioned sites.

- Ryan Shell

Words of encouragement from around the Web…

“I just wanted to tell you that I have so much respect for what you’ve done. You’ve really proven yourself to be a contender and someone with a lot of passion. Winning the race is not always the measure of success. What you’ve accomplished in this process will serve you for years to come.” – Jon C.

“You made an impressive run, Ryan. I know you will continue to be a force for change, growth, and equality. I’m proud to know you.” – Eric H.

“Nobody can say that you didn’t put your heart into it. Great effort! And you learned a lot; that’s never a bad thing. – Britt W.

 “Nice run Ryan! Thanks for keeping the young pro voice out there! Kudos to you.” – Cecelia T.

“Still proud of you and the awareness you raised! There will be other chances!” -Beth L.

 “Since I’m not in your state and don’t want to look at your politics to jade or spur me one way or another, I can truthfully say that I admire your social media efforts and how connected you are to your constituents. I feel like I could meet you at a Panera for a smoothie and put my word in with you.” -Jesse P.

 “You did a fantastic job! You have accomplished so much already and I know there are only bigger and better things that will come your way!” – Jennifer H

“Excellent run Ryan! Keep the energy. Your involvement makes GSO a better place.” – Jim A.

“Ryan, you are an inspiration to many demographics and your passion will always win. Good job, my friend.” – Wendy G.

“You have a great passion and energy about you. Staying true to your beliefs is one of the hardest things to do in the world of politics. Knowing that many, many people who knew you before and now know you for the first time understand that values are a cornerstone of how you do business in any situation is vital. Your success will continue in new ways. And the future? Well, there are so very many great possibilities yet in store! ” – Gillean S.

“You gave it your all, and you are to be commended for your efforts. Congratulations.” – Erik H.

“Ryan, you should hold your head high today that you ran your campaign for all the RIGHT reasons. There are many candidates who believe they are in this race for the good of the people, but few proved it as you had. I hope you use this opportunity as a “teachable moment” to update your strategy in the future and secure the victory that someday will be yours.

I’m damn proud to know you, and even prouder to have supported you.” – Jordan B.

 “Ryan- I believe you’ll go very far in this world. You always risk not winning the first time since you are getting your name out there, but I have faith you’ll move much farther along in future races.” – Kelly O.

“You had my vote, and you still have my support. My community watch program is more successful because of your hard work; and our city is a more beautiful place to live due to your diligence. Thank you for your commitment.” – Rachel R.

“Your commitment to the local community is inspiring. I hope you will continue to pursue this path.” – Shannon P.

Well, I didn’t quite make the cut in the city council primary. Of course I had hoped for a better result, but it simply wasn’t meant to be.

What I can say is that without a shadow of a doubt I am happy with the campaign and the effort that was put forth. The mix of “new school” and “old school” proved to be a great way to increase name recognition and engage voters. I’m also very happy that I stayed true to my beliefs and did not play towards any particular group.

I have lots of thoughts going through my mind at the moment, but I think I’ll leave you with some messages that were left on my Facebook page after the results were posted.

“Hey, you know I’m still proud of you and your spirit in this campaign inspired me greatly. Take this in stride and channel the time and energy to being a great grassroots leader, then next time around try again.”

“I just wanted to tell you that I have so much respect for what you’ve done. You’ve really proven yourself to be a contender and someone with a lot of passion. Winning the race is not always the measure of success. What you’ve accomplished in this process will serve you for years to come.”

“You made an impressive run, Ryan. I know you will continue to be a force for change, growth, and equality. I’m proud to know you.”

“Nobody can say that you didn’t put your heart into it. Great effort! And you learned a lot; that’s never a bad thing.”

“You gave it your best shot and left it all out there. Good for you!”

“Nice run Ryan! Thanks for keeping the young pro voice out there! Kudos to you.”

Please know that my commitment to Greensboro is full speed ahead and that I do not need a title to bring positive change to this city. Thank you for showing an interest in my campaign and I look forward to the road ahead.

- Ryan Shell

I just wanted to say thanks for doing your part and getting out to vote in today’s primary.

I saw this message on Twitter earlier today and the writer gave me permission to share her tweet with you. If nothing else, I’m glad that the campaigns use of the Web has reached people that have never before been engaged by a Greensboro City Council race.

Similar statements have been made over and over again. If I am lucky enough to get elected I plan to take the communication between elected officials and constituents to a new level.

Note: She is not a first time voter, but a new voter to Greensboro.

The Greensboro City Council primary is tomorrow and I hope you will take the time to vote. More so, I hope you will vote for me in the At-Large race and help me advance to the general election.

This has been an amazing process and I’ve appreciated the opportunity to talk to so many citizens (and gets chased by a couple dogs and play football with a few kids). While doing so it has become clear that an overwhelming majority are ready to see positive change in Greensboro and feel as though the status quo has to go.

In order to make that happen it is crucial that you vote tomorrow (Tuesday). Turnout for local primaries is typically very low and I’ve seen people win or lose by only a few hundred votes. Simply put – your vote matters.

If you’d like to help the campaign please do one, or more, of the following: forward this email to 5 friends in Greensboro, call/text your Greensboro contacts and ask them to vote for me tomorrow, put “Vote Ryan Shell At-Large tomorrow” in your Facebook/Twitter status, or anything else you can think of that will help get the word out.

I’ve done everything I know to do and have given this effort 110%. It’s in your hands now.

Ryan

When we some people think of gangs they immediately think of the Bloods or the Crips. We tend to overlook smaller gangs like the “M Town Boys,” who are known to hang out on Martin St (off Lee). And then there are the “gangs” that don’t have a name. Just groups of people that hang out and get into things they shouldn’t – all for a sense of belonging.

I sent out the weekly Greensboro Community Watch email late last night and received a response this morning, part of which is below.

“I noticed that there is an MS-13 graffiti on a stop sign on Glen Hollow Rd off between Holden Rd and I believe Merrick Dr. I am getting ready to call the City of Greensboro to request that it be removed.”

In January of 2008 I did a post on another site about this gang… and quickly learned that they are known for being extremely violent. Some info from that post is below,

“-The MS-13 gang, aka Mara Salvatrucha 13, is one of the most violently dangerous gangs in the United States – and one of the most organized.

-MS-13 criminal activities include drug smuggling, gun running, people smuggling, hits for hire, theft, drug sales, arson, and of course, strong arming the locals.

-Members often arrive in the United States with fighting skills gained in military training and are particularly adept with machetes.

-MS-13 often leaves behind dismembered corpses, complete with the decapitated head, at the scene of their murders. Often a grim note is attached to the body.

-Membership in MS-13 has grown rapidly. In Charlotte, North Carolina, membership is estimated to be 200+.”

Hopefully this group is not trying to once again flex their muscle in Greensboro.

Oh, and about the graffiti. If you happen to see any please call 336-373-CITY and see if the City can help with the removal. The general rule of thumb is to try and get rid of it within 24 hrs. Unfortunately the “artist” will tag the same location a second time, but after the second removal they tend to move on.

Glasses made from old wine/beer bottles.

While out and about taking part in the First Friday festivities in downtown Greensboro Friday night I stumbled on something that I thought was pretty neat. Allow me to introduce you to Rewined Recycled Glassware.

Zeke Vantreese is the business owner/artist and what he does is rather creative. From his flyer,

“I make these glasses by collecting discarded wine and beer bottles from area restaurants. I wash and sterilize each one, remove the label, then cut off the tops. Next, I use a torch to fie polish the rims until they are completely smooth. The result is a beautiful, unique drinking glass that is made from nothing new.”

The picture above doesn’t do his display justice, but the iPhone camera only gets you so far. I think it’s a very creative concept – kudos to Zeke.

In four days, without a shadow of a doubt, you have the ability to bring positive change to Greensboro and send a clear message that the status quo has to go.

Voter turnout is typically very low in local elections, which means your vote carries a lot of weight. Please plan ahead and put “Go Vote” somewhere on your calendar next Tuesday. And if you vote for me that will simply be a plus!

As a resident of Greensboro for the past ten years I have come to love two things about our city – its residents, who I am proud to call my neighbors and friends, and its resilience despite many daunting challenges sprinkled throughout its rich history.

The seeds of this campaign were sown some 18-months ago as I began to immerse myself in various aspects of city government.  I’ve had the pleasure of serving on the Greensboro Board of Adjustments; launched Greensboro Community Watch; taken an active roll in the Adopt-A-Street program; served as President of the Southside Homeowners Association & Community Watch, graduated City Academy, a Greensboro sponsored project to develop future leaders and build a better community; and been honored as one of the Triad’s “40 Leaders Under Forty” by the Triad Business Journal.

All of the above involvement shows my dedication to Greensboro and has helped prepare me for a seat on the City Council. Local government is where a community is born and thrives. On a daily basis you are impacted by the decisions your local representatives make – decisions that affect your quality of life, the safety of your neighborhoods and the  allocation of your tax dollars, to name a few.  Simply put – local government matters.  And the people you elect to lead your local government matter.

If you are stopping by the campaign site for the first time I just wanted to say hi, and thanks for taking the time to look around.

A couple things you might want to review are the Community Involvement and Issues pages. The scholarship fund is also something worth reading about. If you have any questions feel free to shoot me a quick message via the Contact page.

Again, thanks for stopping by.