Peter was known as a vibrant orator of Raleigh life, from high-profile court-cases to unsung citizens, and could often be seen walking or riding his signature 3-speed bicycle all over town.

His life and writing served to scratch the walls of “what is” in search of revealing more, a sort-of literary excavator, and a self-described vision-seeker. This often came at the risk of personal and professional health, and crescendoed in a traumatic bike crash in 2006, shaping his life and work for the next four years, ultimately playing a part in taking it.

His writing approached the wormy and ethereal sides of life just as often as the tangible and number-heavy social-political arena, and his earnestness could be felt when he talked tragedy, love, death or family. He was a scientist: tinkering with bicycles, political framework and perception with an imagination and enthusiasm often compromised in the tight walls of journalism.

He leaves behind a city of friends, a son, David, four brothers, a mother and stepfather.

In Peter’s own words, from a column in the Independent Weekly in 2005:

“Why we live: to participate in this world that makes no sense, to wallow in the joy, the moment, with the knowledge that in a sense there is nothing, no time, no solid objects–all a bundle of energy. A bottle is not an object, but an ‘event.’ We make a collective agreement to create reality–in this case, the Hall and Oates planet. I am wallowing in the ‘thisness,’ half expecting my hand to pass through the PBR bottle like smoke through bamboo. The bar has developed that distinctive purr, the band, me, the universe moaning like a didgeridoo.

‘I’m a balloon and I want to let go of the string,’ I say to a friend.

They get this serious look on their face. ‘Eichenberger, dude, don’t let go of the fucking string.”

-Peter Eichenberger 1955-2010

Correction appended. Peter has four brothers, not three as originally reported.

Until council can reach a majority on the issue, spending on the project will come to a halt at a time when the council acknowledges a prime lending atmosphere.

Mayor Charles Meeker, Mary-Ann Baldwin (at-large), James West (District C) and Nancy McFarlane (District A) all voted in favor of the Lightner Center, with Russ Stephenson (at-large), Bonner Gaylord (District E), Thomas Crowder (District D) and John Odom (District B) voting against.

“It is time to move forward on this,” said Mayor Charles Meeker, who pushed for the vote.

At the last two council sessions Stephenson, Gaylord and Crowder outlined a new plan that would involve splitting up the safety center in different locations as opposed to the current, centralized location on Raleigh’s historic Nash Square. Council will have to reach a majority on either plan to move forward.

“If you had concerns, you should have brought them up years ago,” said Baldwin.

The Lightner Center as proposed would require less than a half percent tax increase in 2011, Meeker said during the debate Tuesday.

Stephenson asked city staff to determine how much could be borrowed without the increase.

Gaylord said council needs to “determine how much we can spend, and then go fund those priorities.” Earlier, he had made a point that the city was over-prioritizing the center and ignoring other projects.

During the discussion, Stephenson motioned for council to “borrow the money now, put it in the bank and accrue interest,” but was quickly withdrawn.

“If we’re not going to do this comprehensively, I think we need to take a step back,” said James West, calling the motion “reactionary.”

The safety of the center, which includes a publicly accessible area on the first floor, has been at the forefront of the debate. City Manager Russel Allen used other cities as pro-Lightner examples, noting other high-rise style safety centers, including one being constructed in New York City.

Stephenson said he had also researched other cities and specifically said that New York was “decentralizing” its emergency centers since the September 11 terrorist attack.

Currently, police and fire operations are scattered in temporary locations around the city. “Our police are in a building that was built to house city hall,” McFarlane said. James West called the center “a vote of confidence to our public safety department.”

Thomas Crowder (District D) started the conversation by asking for a cost-benefit analysis of the facilities.

“What I want to know… what the payback is in 20 years, 50 years, 100 years,” Crowder asked.

Scott Cutler, Clancy and Theys Construction Company vice president, said $141 million will cover only the building, and does not include furnishings and the technology required. The entire cost is projected at $205 million.

Cutler said between 1,800 and 3,900 jobs would be created by the construction, factoring in contractors and builders, as well as indirect employment from services such as coffee and food.

Mayor Charles Meeker asked, “How many of these jobs would be from the local area?”

“We would anticipate most of those,” Cutler said.

Raleigh Police Chief Harry Dolan spoke to council about the needs of his department, which will be centrally located in the building along with the fire department.

“What we need most in safe and secure space. What we need and want is a state-of-the-art telecommunications center,” Dolan said. He also said the new facilities would be a morale boost, and increase efficiency and productivity.

Currently the RPD is housed in a small building on Hargett Street, where safety is a concern, Dolan, Meeker and Mary Ann Baldwin (At-Large) noted at the meeting.

Councilors discussed the necessity of a large auditorium in the building, which would be used for graduations, trainings and ceremonies for both departments. Fire Chief John McGrath said that presently the RFD has to “scramble to find a place” to hold these events.

“Do we need a new public safety center? Yes. Is this the right facility? We need to focus on that question,” said Meeker.

“And the last question,” Crowder added, “is how you pay for it and what’s its cost?”

Councilors previously discussed paying for the facility by increasing taxes.

Overnight, someone stole two air conditioning units from an apartment building at 5316 Six Forks Road.

Someone stole two desktop computers from a house on the 1400 block of Boyer Street sometime overnight.

Someone broke into a house on the 2400 block of Jimmy Carter Way and stole a bottle of perfume, video games and shoes sometime before 6 a.m.

Between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday, someone broke into a car on the 4100 block of John S. Raboteau Wind and stole a GPS unit and an iPod.

At 3 a.m. police arrested a 17-year-old man who attempted to steal a car from the 800 block of East Martin Street.

At 11:17 a.m. police caught two men, 17 and 20, trying to steal an Xbox and games from the Target at 4191 The Circle at North Hills.

Police arrested a 17-year-old man for stealing four pairs of shoes from the Walmart on New Bern Avenue between 1:52 and 2:52 p.m.

Sometime during the day, someone broke into an apartment on the 6300 block of Shanda Drive and stole a Mac book, “miscellaneous cheap jewelry,” an engagement ring, video games and an unspecified toy.

Between 9:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. someone broke into a house on the 6100 block of Paducah Drive and stole jewelry, watches and a camera, all valued at $8650.

Someone broke into a house on the 3900 block of Dowling Haven Place and stole a television, jewelry, a computer and clothes between 3 and 5 p.m.

At 3 p.m. four men, aged 16 through 17, attempted to steal a wallet from another man, 19, walking on the street near 1200 Boyer Street.

At 3:36 p.m. a 49-year-old woman assaulted a 45-year-old man at their shared apartment on the 2000 block of Edwin Drive.

At around 4:15 p.m. police arrested a 31-year-old woman for attempting to steal jeans and underwear from the Rugged Warehouse at 3901 Capital Boulevard.

A 45-year-old woman tried to steal a bottle of “Harajuku Lover’s Fragrance” from the JC Penny at 4217 Six Forks Road at 6:15 p.m.

Between 6:20 and 7:40 p.m. police arrested a man, 18, for attempting to steal cold medicine and four energy drinks from the Target on 7900 Old Wake Forest Road.

At 9:30 p.m. someone snatched a purse from a 50-year-old woman on the 300 block of Cabarrus Street.

Just after 11 p.m. police arrested a 25-year-old woman near 400 Bragg Street for drug possession.

At 1:35 a.m. a 25-year-old woman assaulted a 26-year-old man at their shared home on the 1300 block of Rushing Creek Parkway.

Police arrested a 27-year-old man for pot possession while in his car near 4300 Six Forks Road between 1:25 and 1:50 p.m.

Sometime between 2 and 3 a.m. someone with a gun assaulted a 26-year-old man on the 800 block of State Street.

Around 7 a.m. someone stole a wallet, pants and a shaving kit from a room in the hotel at 1209 Plainview Drive.

At 2 p.m. someone shattered the window of a Honda Civic parked at 2400 Sugar Bush Lane and stole an Xbox.

Someone stole a 24-inch hot-pink bicycle, a headlight and a combination lock sitting near the 2800 block of Edridge Court at 3 p.m.

Someone stole three digital cameras, one blue, one brown and one silver, from the Walmart at 6600 Glenwood Avenue between 3:30 and 3:52 p.m.

Between 3:30 and 4 p.m. an 22-year-old Ocean Isle man attempted to steal boots and underwear from the WalMart at 10050 Glenwood Avenue.

Someone stole a Wii, Wii accessories and a jugful of coins from an apartment on the 6600 block of Roundstone Drive between 3:30 and 4:20 p.m.

Someone assaulted a 30-year-old man with some kind of weapon on the street near 5900 Creedmoor Road at 4:02 p.m.

Police arrested three women, 69, 36 and 44, for attempting to steal jewelry and shoes, valued at $489.95, from the JC Penny at 4217 Six Forks Road.

At 7:45 p.m. someone stole a flat-screen television and $500 worth of change from a house on the 5300 block of Belsay Drive.

Two Louisburg women, ages 16 and 17, attempted to steal $141 worth of clothing from the Belk at 7500 Old Wake Forest Road just after 8 p.m.

Between 8 and 9:21 p.m. someone broke into three cars and stole two GPS systems, a computer and jewelry at 8111 Brier Creek Parkway.

Police arrested a 31-year-old man for pot possession near his house on the 1700 block of Barn Owl Road between 9:30 and 9:45 p.m.

Someone using a gun robbed the Marriott at 3908 Arrow Drive between 10:41 and 10:45 p.m.

Sunday, December 13

Overnight, someone broke into a house on the 2300 block of Maybrook Drive.

Someone stole a Playstation from a house on the 2300 block of New Hope Church Road sometime overnight.

Police arrested a 17-year old man for indecent exposure near 100 Friendly Drive.

Between 9:53 and 10:57 a.m. someone made obscene phone calls to a house on the 800 block of Suffolk Boulevard.

Between noon and 8 p.m. someone stole an amplifier, a radio, an iPod and two pairs of sunglasses from a car parked near 400 Shelley River Drive.

Police arrested an 18-year-old man for shoplifting from the Food Lion at 1601 Cross Link Road at 2:22 p.m.

At 2:18 p.m. police arrested a 49-year-old man for possessing drug paraphernalia near 200 Branch Street.

At 7:15 p.m. police arrested a 54-year-old man for driving drunk near 5800 Falls of the Neuse Road.

Someone with a knife robbed a 20-year-old man on the street near 1100 North Raleigh Boulevard at 8:08 p.m.

Someone stole a fake flower arrangement from a home on the 300 block of Golf Course Drive overnight.

A thief stole a laptop from a car near 12000 Kaysmount Court sometime overnight.

Someone stole a laptop from an apartment on the 2300 block of Avent Ferry Road between 3:40 and 6:45 a.m.

Police arrested a 29-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman for pot possession in the motel at 1209 Plainview Drive between 7:30 and 7:50 a.m.

Just after 9 a.m. someone broke into a house on the 6500 block of Wooden Shoe Lane and stole $4,150 worth of video games, systems, a laptop and cables.

Someone stole a leaf blower from a house on the 900 block of Hardimont Road between 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

During the afternoon, someone stole $10,000 worth of gold rings, an iPod and a phone from a house on the 100 block of Luther Road.

Between 2:51 and 3:51 p.m. a 36-year-old man assaulted a 47-year-old woman at her home on the 900 block of Edison Road.

A 30-year-old man attempted to steal a car but was arrested by police near the 4700 block of Hargrove Road at 5 p.m.

A man, 23, assaulted a woman, 19, in a car near 2200 West Millbrook Road around 5:40 p.m.

Sometime between noon and 7 p.m. a 30-year-old man assaulted a 27-year-old woman on Hargrove Road.

Between 7 and 7:15 p.m. a 31-year-old man assaulted a 22-year-old man at an apartment on the 1000 block of West Peace Street.

At 8:30 p.m. police arrested two women, 18 and 19, for attempting to steal $116 worth of food and clothing from the Walmart at 10050 Glenwood Avenue.

Police caught a 23-year-old man with pot in his car on the 300 block of West South Street at 9:50 p.m.

Between 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. someone stole a passport, a laptop and three pill bottles containing Lexapro, Seroquil and Amalzapram from a car parked near 7900 Skyland Ridge Parkway.

The Raleigh City Council approved moving forward on three major projects in their capital improvement plan.

Councilors voted today to approve $2.4 million to finish plans for the Clarence E. Lightner Public Safety Center. They also approved the construction of an outdoor amphitheater next to Raleigh’s convention center and gave the go-ahead to fund the new Solid Waste Services facilities with Certificates of Participation.

Clarence E. Lightner Public Safety Center

The Lightner Center will house the city’s police and fire departments. The city council will look at the project again in January for final approval.

The new justice center is planned for the corner of Hargett and McDowell streets, where the current police station sits.

“This is the lowest interest-environment for municipal debt in the last 20 years,” said City Manager Russell Allen. He favored councilors locking in on the $205 million construction tab while the market is down.

“If we get going relatively soon, we know what we’re going to get,” said Mayor Charles Meeker.

Russ Stephenson (At-large) expressed concern about the amount of public financing that will go into the building, noting the possible negative “impact on peoples lives.”

“These projects are important to the long term, but we are all keenly aware of the economic recession,” he said.

According to Allen, the project would cost the average household $20 a year.

Bonner Gaylord (District E) and John Odom (District B) opposed the approval. Gaylord expressed concern about the current plans, saying some facilities are unnecessary, “such as corner offices that have their own bathrooms and their own showers.”

Allen said that the plans were not final, and proposed a date in mid-December to acquaint the new councilors with the history of the project. He also said the private showers had been taken out of the plans.

Convention Center amphitheater

Raleigh City Council approved a $1.6 million budget to build an outdoor “boutique amphitheater” to host marquee concerts, cultural festivals and art expos. The plan also pairs Raleigh with the Live Nation group to book big-name acts.

The amphitheater, facing the convention center’s shimmer wall, is projected to bring in almost $500,000 and 225,000 people annually. It will be fully equipped with video and audio capabilities, and a study showed proper acoustic capabilities of the space.

“This begins to put Raleigh on the map as a music venue,” said Allen

Stephenson had a few concerns, including the control of noise pollution and Raleigh’s relationships with other nearby city venue’s (i.e. Cary’s Koka Booth amphitheater.)

District C’s James West was concerned about other, closer, competition: “is there any synergy between here and Walnut Creek?”

The city will be required to apply for the proper permits, and if the noise at the venue exceeds set levels, it could be subject to fines or possibly losing the special-use permit.

Only Thomas Crowder (District D) voted against the construction.

Wilders Grove Solid Waste Services center

Councilors also approved funding for the Wilders Grove Solid Waste Services site, which will expand solid-waste facilities.

The financing of the Wilders Grove will be through Certificates of Participation, which allows investors to buy into lease revenue rather than through government-backed bonds.

Police arrested a 16-year-old boy for pot possession near 5900 Oak Forest Road at 1:50 a.m.

Someone with a gun robbed a 34-year-old man on the street near the 600 block of North Hills Drive and stole his phone, wallet and coat at 1:22 a.m.

At 1:35 a.m. police arrested a 20-year-old Charlotte man for carrying a concealed weapon on the 2400 block of Spring Forest Road.

A 31-year-old man assaulted a 31-year-old woman at a house on the 3000 block of Parkersburg Street at 2:30 a.m.
Saturday, November 28

Someone stole four Christmas trees from a lot at 5517 Falls of the Neuse between Friday night and Saturday Morning.

Overnight, someone made off with a ballistics vest and an MP3 player that were in a car on the 7800 block of Mayfaire Crest Lane.

At 1:42 a.m. someone stole a case of High Life from the Cruisers at 7220 Six Forks Rd.

A thief broke into a few cars on the 400 block of North West Street at around 2 a.m. making off with cell phones, a Coach bag, a Louis Vuitton bag and wallets.

At 2:32 a.m. police arrested a 34 year-old man for driving drunk on the 5100 block of Capital Boulevard.

Police arrested a 36-year-old man near 700 Church Street for possessing opiates.

At 10 a.m. a 33-year-old man assaulted another man, 30, using some sort of weapon at the park at 200 S. Person St.

Police arrested a 40-year-old man for selling weed near 1100 State Street.

A woman, 46, assaulted a 43-year-old man at their shared home on the 400 block of Parnell Drive at 11:40 a.m.

Just after noon, police arrested a 39-year-old woman for attempting to shoplift $200 worth of clothes from the Belk on Old Wake Forest Road.

At 1 p.m. a 20-year-old man assaulted a 20-year-old woman at their home on the 3200 block of East Calumet Drive.

At 5:30 p.m. police arrested a 29-year-old woman for child abuse at an apartment on Lake Hill Drive.

Police caught a man, 34, with pot in his vehicle at 2000 New Bern Avenue at 6:30 p.m.

Sometime before 9:20 p.m. someone stole a 46-inch television from a house on the 4500 block of Wenchelsea Place.

At 11:15 p.m. someone using a gun robbed an apartment on the 2200 block of Newcomb Road.

Someone with a gun robbed a 27-year-old woman walking near 500 Fayetteville Street and stole her purse.

Friday, November 27

Sometime in the past week, someone stole a Mac desktop from a home on the 3800 block of Lexington Drive.

Overnight, someone stole a GPS and a Northface jacket from a car parked at 1028 Oberlin Road.

Sometime before 11:58 a.m. somebody stole an iPod and a sweater from a car on the 1500 block of Carr Street.

A thief stole a Playstation from an apartment on the 700 block of Vardaman Street sometime Friday morning.

At 9:20 a.m. a 31-year-old man assaulted a police officer who was at his home on the 3800 block of Old Coach Road.

Between 12:15 and 12:30 p.m. a 22-year-old man assaulted a 22-year-old woman at her house on the 3100 block of New Hope Church Road.

A 25-year-old woman assaulted another woman, 21, at an apartment on Versatile Road at 12:27 p.m.

Police arrested two men, 23 and 31, for pot possession at an apartment near 3100 Calvary Drive just after 1 p.m.

At 4:06 p.m. someone stole a purse from a car near 2900 Falstaff Road.

Someone stole a .25-caliber pistol from a building at 6608 Six Forks Road between Saturday and Monday.

Over the weekend, someone stole a Ford F-150 from the Goodberry’s at 6913 Capital Boulevard.

Overnight, someone nabbed two pit-bulls from a home on the 1300 block of South State Street.

At 1:15 a.m. police arrested a 25-year-old Morrisville man for pot possession near 10700 World Trade Boulevard.

At 3:51 a.m. someone reported a peeping tom at an apartment complex on the 7200 block of Brookbank Lane.

Between 5 and 5:24 a.m. someone stole a Ford F-150 parked at 3820 Sherman Avenue.

At 9:45 a.m. police arrested a 37-year-old woman for pot possession on the campus of Broughton High School.

Someone stole $34,000 worth of jewelry from a house on Holt Drive between 10:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m.

Between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m. someone stole a Blackberry from a Broughton High School student.

Police arrested a 24-year-old man driving drunk near 3911 Capital Boulevard early in the afternoon.

Someone reported being strong-armed on the 400 block of West South Street at 3 p.m. saying the thief made off with a wallet, $1200 cash and 7 grams of crack.

At 4:44 p.m. a man attempted to steal 12 drill bits from the Home Depot at 4901 Capital Boulevard, but the law caught up.

Someone reported hearing gunshots at a park on Wofford Lane at 7 p.m.

At 8 p.m. a 50-year-old woman attempted to steal jewelry, clothing and electronics from the Target at North Hills.

Between 10:20 and 10:45 p.m. someone broke into a car on the 100 block of South Sailsbury Street and stole $200 worth of electronics and $140 cash.

Early Sunday morning, someone stole a Dodge Caravan parked on the 300 block of Blount Street.

Police arrested a 22-year-old woman for driving drunk on South Saunders Street at 5 a.m.

Overnight, someone stole a GPS from a car parked on the 6200 block of Glenwood Avenue.

Someone stole a GPS from a car on the 2800 block of Highwoods Boulevard sometime overnight.

Sometime before 8:19 a.m. someone stole a Blackberry, a GPS, sunglasses and a camera from a car parked at the Marriott just off of Glenwood Avenue.

Someone robbed a house on the 4400 block of Stonewall Drive around noon, stealing a camera.

Police arrested three men, 16, 18 and 19, for assaulting a 44-year-old man near 100 N. Carver St. at 5:52 p.m.

At 5:37 p.m. police arrested a 45-year-old man for attempting to rob a house on the 4100 block of Beaufain Street.

Someone stole a bunch of quarters from the laundry room of an apartment complex at 3905 Julie Court at 7:31 p.m.

A 48-year-old man assaulted a 16-year-old girl on the 400 block of Salisbury Street at 8:44 p.m.

Between 5 and 8:45 p.m. someone stole a CD-player and a pocket book from a car parked on the 3900 block of New Bern Avenue.

Police arrested three 19-year-old men and one 20-year-old man for pot possession on the 500 block of Edenton Street at 3:10 a.m.

Saturday, November 21

During the night, someone stole three dollars, an ashtray and a sweatshirt from a home on the 4600 block of Bayspring Lane.

Between 2:45 and 3:03 a 31-year-old man attempted to steal a pair of cuticle scissors, a pacifier and a roll of scotch tape from a Walmart at 10050 Glenwood Avenue.

Two men, 22 and 30, were arrested for soliciting prostitution on the 800 block of Navaho Drive at 4:30 p.m.

At 5 p.m. police arrested a 26-year-old man for soliciting prostitution at a parking lot at 3000 Calumet Drive.

Police arrested four men, aged 27 through 37, for soliciting prostitution on the 800 block of Navaho Drive at 5:15 p.m.

Police arrested two men, aged 32 and 39, for soliciting prostitution at a parking lot at 3000 Calumet Drive at 5:15 p.m.

At 5:20 p.m. police arrested a 42-year-old man for selling narcotics on the 00 block of Maple St.

Friday, November 20

Police arrested two men, 22 and 25, for selling pot in an apartment on the 7800 block of Six Forks Road at 4 p.m.

Someone stole a laptop from an apartment on the 2400 block of Tony Tank Lane sometime during the day.

A 61-year-old man assaulted a 63-year-old woman at their shared house on the 7600 block of Cagle Street.

Between noon and 5 p.m. someone stole a 1000 lb. commercial dishwasher from a restaurant on the 8100 block of Brier Creek Parkway.