Saturday, August 2, 2008

Forget Oprah...The 'Mystery' Visitor to Kannapolis was ...

It wasn't Oprah all along who caused the Dale Earnhardt flags to be taken down in Kannapolis it was much MUCH worse. We had to take those banners down for a federal convict. It was Martha Stewart.

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart was the guest of a billionaire developer who prompted local officials to take down flags honoring the late NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt in his hometown, newspapers reported Friday.
Stewart visited the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis on Thursday with David Murdock, the campus founder and owner of Dole Food Co.
Stewart said she would take ideas from the campus to her Center for Living at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.
Last week, city workers took down flags honoring Earnhardt after an official at Murdock's real estate company and a local tourism official said some were dirty and torn and might upset a Murdock guest, who wasn't identified.
The 350-acre biotech complex was started in February 2006. Murdock's real estate company, Castle & Cooke, is developing the campus.
"It's fascinating to see something happening in such a short time," Stewart told the Salisbury Post after the tour. "The effort should be applauded."
Stewart took photos out the window as Murdock drove her around the complex and strolled through Cannon Village, a shopping area near the former Cannon Mills complex where the campus is being constructed.

This is just terrible. I have managed to uncover a picture taken of Martha touring Cannon Village though...

-Doc

12 comments:

Lu' said...

Ya know what Doc, the thing I stick to about this post is that the flags were old a tattered. Shame on the town for not keeping them looking good. Why do something cool if you're not going to stay the course. They should've come down just because they were old and tattered. Something Mr Earnhardt never got a chance to be. R.I.P. Dale.

Ken said...

Did you get to have her sign your peach?

Anonymous said...

I cannot stand Martha Stewart anyway! lol She is no one special to take anything down for... for G-d sakes she is not that long out of the pokey!! hahahaha! okay I will not make fun of her..

But ummm That is his own town, and like lu said the town should have kept them looking good anyway!!! soooo shame on both of them!!!

Doc, I am private again cause I am in Miami, it is not updating on google or blog roll! :( I will be back soon and you are already set to view private! come ck out my pics.. my mom is doing my commenting until blogger actually works here! :(

Ne

Dana said...

I think leaving that tattered, dirty flags might have been a better idea - might have kept her from returning!

Doc said...

Out of over 100 only a few were dirty and tattered...

Oh BTW - we made it safe to NY..LOL

The Mountain Cat said...

Dear Martha,

Dirt is a part of life. Get over it.

Sincerely yours,

Pig Pen

Anonymous said...

AMEN DANA!!!

DOC, Glad you made it safe!!!

Dear Martha,
as a P.S. to Mt. Cats comment...
Don't come back now.. Ya hear???

Sunshine said...

Tattered and torn flags might have sent her over the edge...for real.

And I agree with an earlier comment, upkeep on the flags should have been a higher priority if the town really wants to preserve the memory of #3.

Jay said...

From reading the article it's pretty clear that it was David Murdock who wanted the flags taken down, not Martha.

/Martha sucks anyway.
//They shouldn't leave the flags up when they get all dirty and tattered like that. ///Going with the slashies today. ;-)

Apple Hubby said...

I think it would have been great for Martha to see the flags as they were.

She would have taken one look at them and made the entourage pull over so that she could show everyone how to darn a Dale Earnhardt banner.

The town would have been spruced up, Dale's memory preserved, and Martha could have gotten some community service time.

Unknown said...

Oh my freaking goodness. I like how they tried to "cover it up" by saying the old, torn flags might be offensive. Gimme a break.

As American as Apple Pie said...

Ok, am I the only one who likes Martha? *waits for tomatoes*

Yeah, she did some insider trading...who doesn't? Yeah, she is a bit 'holier than thou'. I can be too. However, she has taught me a lot about food, decorating and gardening. Not that I have actually put any of these things into practice.

It goes back to the flags need sprucing up anyway and maybe they'll put up new ones now. So, if it HAD been Oprah, would we be having this discussion?