November 2004
From: Chapel Hill Herald, Saturday, November 06, 2004
Final Edition, Editorial Section, Page 2
When faced with big losses, we on the left almost reflexively recall the words of Joe Hill as he faced his execution in 1915: "Don't mourn. Organize."
But just as certainly as there is never a time to stop organizing, there are also times when mourning is appropriate. Hill's radical compatriots in the Wobblies may have smiled at his words, but they were heart-broken by his death nonetheless.
Similarly, when tens of thousands make a historic effort for a narrowly lost cause, especially when the stakes are great, a certain sadness is in order.
The stakes in the 2004 election were particularly high if you are of low or modest means, a person of color, a gay man or lesbian woman, a woman of reproductive age, or, in fact, any creature who must make its home in the increasingly fragile habitat of planet Earth.
Kudos to Sally Greene for bringing to Chapel Hill's attention to national efforts to end homelessness. And also to Kevin Foy and the rest of the Council for responding with a community roundtable scheduled for Thursday, November 18. Details can be found in today's Chapel Hill Herald or on the town web site.
The Carrboro Aldermen have declined to participate because of the choice of a weekday for the meeting. It is indeed bad planning to hold such an event when the working homeless themselves can not attend. (This is particularly egregious coming right on top of Chapel Hill's holding the Airport Road Renaming committee meeting all day on a Friday.)
Here's what I wrote on ending homelessness in the August 28 Herald:
The Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools website reports as follows:
Applications to Fill School Board Vacancy Due Nov. 19
Valerie Foushee formally resigned from the Board of Education Nov. 4 after she was elected Nov. 2 to serve on the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. Foushee has served on the school board for seven years. Her term will expire in 2005.
The board has announced plans to advertise the opening and will conduct an orientation session for potential candidates on Nov. 11 at 3 p.m. at Lincoln Center.
Applications are due Nov. 19 by 5 p.m. to the Superintendent's Office. The timeline and application forms are available on the school system's website at: http://www.chccs.k12.nc.us/Welcome.asp?DP=SB
Board members will interview candidates at a special meeting on Nov. 29 and select a replacement on Dec. 2. The new board member will be sworn into office on Dec. 16 to complete Foushee's unexpired term. Next School Board Discussion on High School Schedules Slated for Nov. 18
More help wanted... Carrboro will be looking for a new representative to the OWASA (Orange Water & Sewer Authority) board, after a member resigned citing internal political motives on the board. This key institution has a huge impact on our local environment, and it is governed by representatives of Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Orange County.
John Smith, a member of the board for more than five years, also warned the Carrboro aldermen in his resignation letter to be more vigilant about the decisions and deliberations of the utility's board.
"In my opinion, the Board has become increasingly political," Smith wrote in his letter, dated Oct. 28. "At times, decisions appear to be made more on a basis of personality and personal alliances than from thoughtful, informed consideration." - Chapel Hill Herald, 11/12/04
Has anyone else noticed the changes over at WCHL? “The Book show†with Kate Branch and the “Jewelry show†with Berkeley Grimbel ended long ago, and Jim Groot's “World According to Me†ended when Air America took over the nighttime hours. But as far as I can tell, the morning show with Ron and Eleanor, and D.G.'s “Look Who's Talking†are all that's left of CHL's original local programming. What happened? No more Special Hour? No more Last Word in News on the drive home? (I loved getting the next day's headlines a day before the stories ran). Where's Eleanor's Life On the Hill? The Noon report?
Along with programming changes, all the promotional tags seem to have been re-done with much higher production values and voices I don't recognize. Many of them have the same flavor as the rest of AM talk radio.
I hope we haven't lost the station, or was I the only one listening?
A $15K road to order, not justice
DAN COLEMAN Columnist
Chapel Hill Herald
Saturday, November 13, 2004
Final Edition
Editorial Section
Page 2
So, was it worth it, the $15,000 Chapel Hill just spent for two days of facilitated conversation on the renaming of Airport Road for Martin Luther King Jr.?
According to one headline, the meetings did "yield understanding." One renaming opponent, Steve Largent, said, "I think I'm being heard." Town Councilwoman Sally Greene said, "I was proud to be a part of it." Surely the committee members are to be commended for their efforts and for their willingness to grapple with a racially charged issue.
But this whole undertaking still seems to have missed the point. After all, Mayor Kevin Foy and Councilwoman Edith Wiggins did not approach their colleagues back in June to propose spending thousands of dollars so a select group of 20 Chapel Hillians could better understand racism.
No, the goal was to help with the decision on the road renaming, to obtain "recommendations for appropriate memorials to the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr."
Is anyone watching (or attending) the Carrboro Board of Aldermen's public hearing tonight? They are expected to have a large number of people speaking about the proposed annexation of their northern transition area.
Please post reports on the meeting or your own comments here.
Not sure who is organizing this, it was on the NC Peace and Justice Update List.
COMMUNITY BREAKFAST
Saturday December 4, 10:00am, Weaver St Market, Carrboro
Friends: One of the most popular themes when progressives get together and discuss what needs to be done is the need for more social occasions to meet informally. To that end, we are inviting you to the first social activist Breakfast, at Weaver St Market on December 4th at 10am (we hope to make them monthly). We will have a brief check-in, where people can share concerns and announce projects and upcoming events for social change. Otherwise, it will just be an occasion to network and socialize. We would like to encourage the participation of as broad a spectrum of people as possible, so please forward this to any friends active for progressive social change.
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