March 2005
Guest Post by Lance McCord
Chapel Hill Herald, Saturday, March 05, 2005
On Feb. 16, 141 nations celebrated the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, an unprecedented global response to the greatest crisis facing the world -- global warming. In one respect, Kyoto represents the culmination of a process that spanned the last century as nations worked to build the capacity to cooperate in the face of global challenges.
Unfortunately, the celebration of this historic moment is sadly diminished for Americans. Alone among the world's great powers, the United States steadfastly refuses to participate.
Reading the various reports and analyses of what one commentator called America's "monumental shame," it struck me that this was a time for local government to truly step into the breach. Symbolic measures, like our towns' occasional protests of national policy, would not be sufficient. Action was needed, the only question being what form that action should take.
are the topic of tonight's Sierra Club forum:
Chatham County Growth Issues
Prospects and Possible Solutions
Wednesday, March 9th, 7:30 p.m
Chapel Hill Town Hall, 306 North Columbia Street
Loyse Hurley, president of Chatham Citizens for Effective Communities, Jeffrey Starkweather, president of Chatham Coalition and Mike Cross and Patrick Barnes, two newly-elected Chatham County commissioners who were endorsed by the Sierra Club, are the presenters.
The meeting will be televised on public access.
These public art projects always seem to come out more interesting and more valuable than they seem from the description. This one is especially vague as a dream could be anything from a hope for the future to a psycheledic fantasy. It will certainly be interesting!
THE DREAM DEADLINE IS QUICKLY APPROACHING!
Submissions for the Chapel Hill Public Arts Commission's Community Art Project – DREAM – are due March 18 and 19 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Chapel Hill Museum.
What do you dream? The dream exhibition, which will be on view in public places throughout Chapel Hill and Carrboro from April 7 to May 27, will be a peek into the dreams of our community. Take this opportunity to let us know what's on your mind. We invite you to explore, remember, imagine, express and dream. To be a part of this community-wide exhibition the CHPAC is asking everyone who lives/works/plays in Chapel Hill and Carrboro to create an artwork that expresses your dream. Any definition of "dream" is acceptable--be creative!
Sweet dreams - Nightmares - Goals - Premonitions - Recurring dreams - Desires - Visions - Daydreams - Fantasies - Aspirations
Chapel Hill Herald, Saturday, March 12, 2005
If you were in the Town Council chambers last Monday night, you probably felt as Bill Strom did. "I am constantly moved and blown away by Chapel Hill citizens who stand before us and share their life experiences," he said. He referred to the dozens of citizens who came out that night to speak on behalf of the rights of gays and lesbians in the face of not only denial but further restriction of those rights under a right-wing assault.
The council's proposed legislative agenda has three items that speak to the rights of same-sex couples. It asks our state legislators to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, to oppose the proposed constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union of one man and one woman and to include sexual orientation as a protected category under the hate crimes law.
A handful of local fundamentalists brought in a busload of their con-freres from Wake County to preach intolerance to the Town Council. They soon learned they'd come to the wrong place. Their position received not a word of support from Chapel Hillians outside their small group.
This word is just in from a source who spoke with the Governor's office. The new Superior Court Judge for Orange and Chatham counties will be . . .
District Attorney Carl Fox!
According to Gerry Cohen, an attorney for the North Carolina General Assembly (and who is not the source who spoke to the Governor's office), Article 4 section 18 of the North Carolina Constitution gives the Governor the power to appoint an interim District Attorney when there is a vacancy in the office, so the next question is who will the Governor appoint to replace Carl Fox?
Seems like the Governor would not create a vacancy unless he knew how he was going to fill it. We shall see . . .
Meanwhile, congratultions to Carl Fox!
On tonight's Chapel Hill Planning Board agenda there are a number of interesting issues including rezoning the Horace Williams tract (the future home of Carolina North), rezoning the Greenwood neighborhood to prevent redevelopment, and a report on increasing health and mobility in Northside. Since I can't be there in person, I wrote the following to my colleagues on the board:
Horace Williams Tract re-zoning.
This in from the Interfaith Council:
The House and Senate are getting ready to pass budget resolutions that will profoundly affect how much funding is available for housing and homelessness programs next year.
Contact your Representative and Senators Dole and Burr TODAY!
Tell them the Budget Resolution is going to hurt our successful efforts on ending homelessness in North Carolina.
Contacts:
Senator Dole's Office: 202/224-6342 staff: Al Garesche, if not available, ask for Amanda Nealy
Senator Burr's Office: 202/224-3154 staff: Drew Elliot
To find contact information for your Representative, go to www.house.gov and enter your zip code
What if I don't know very much about the federal budget?
It doesn't matter! Members of Congress need to know that you are paying attention to the federal budget process and that you expect them to prioritize the needs of homeless and low-income people and families. How much detail you go into is up to you. A simple call from you tells them that their vote on the resolution impacts North Carolina.
Chapel Hill Herald, Saturday, March 19, 2005
[modified slightly from published version to reflect that the event is now past]
Last Saturday's March and Rally to Bring the Troops Home Now in Fayetteville was not your typical peace rally. The location was chosen to focus on support for the troops.
Among the main sponsors were Veterans For Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Military Families Speak Out.
Fayetteville, of course, is the home of Fort Bragg, one of the largest military installations in the country. Twenty percent of those serving in Iraq hail from North Carolina.
The event promised a supportive environment for soldiers and military families concerned about the Iraq war. It allowed them to speak out and to raise their questions about Bush administration policy while still having their patriotism honored.
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