January 2009

Silent (No More!) Auction

I’m working with the Family Violence Prevention Center as a volunteer for their silent auction. After I found out more about what great work they do with such a limited budget, I wanted to be a part of helping them with this important fundraiser. I was shocked at how many people utilize their services. After hearing from some of their clients about how much FVPC has helped them, I am convinced that their staff and volunteers are some of the “angels among us.” The info is below.

The Family Violence Prevention Center of Orange County and UNC Health Care’s Beacon Program invite you to attend our 4th annual Silent (No More!) Auction on Thursday, February 5, 2009 from 5:30 to 8 PM at the William and Ida Friday Center. Tickets are $35 in advance, and $40 at the door. All proceeds directly support services for victims of domestic violence and their families. Purchase tickets and view auction items at: http://silent-nomore.com

Date:

Thursday, February 5, 2009 - 12:30pm to 3:00pm

Location:

Friday Center, Chapel Hill

More Information:

http://silent-nomore.com

A Radical But Interesting Idea

I have heard that Jesse Helms once described Chapel Hill as the “North Carolina Zoo.” I am pretty sure he was not trying to be flattering. However, for many people who lived here at that time it was a compliment. It was evidence that Chapel Hill was an interesting and unique place. Too bad Chapel Hill is no longer so interesting.

Perhaps it is time to consider a radical New Year’s resolution. In 2009 let’s raise Chapel Hill’s interest quotient (IQ). The first step in this process may be the hardest. We will have to break through our collective denial and admit that we have become the least interesting point of the three major communities that form the Triangle.

Our Local Food Economy

There is a great guest column in today's N&O by former Congressperson Eva Clayton on the importance and potential of local agriculture.

Here in Orange County, we have made some admirable moves in support of a strong local food economy. In fact, we may have one of the strongest local food networks in the region. Yet there is much more we can do.

One problem that we face is the schizophrenic nature of our collective vision. We craft statements of sustainable economic development and generally elect leaders who espouse these principles. Yet we continually find ourselves involved in controversies that wouldn't really make the cut if our stated commitment to sustainable economics had an effective filter.

The latest example is UNC's stated goal to site an airport in rural Orange County, land that is most suited for sustainable local food production. To add to the schizophrenia, our progressive County Commissioners have an Economic Development Director, Brad Broadwell, who is an avid and public supporter of UNC's airport proposal.

Moses Carey to head Employment Security Commission

The News and Observer reports that Moses Carey has been named chairman of the Employment Security Commission. This position heads the state agency responsible for Unemployment Insurance and many job training programs.

2009 opening volleys on the airport

Two opening volleys for 2009 on the airport controversy appeared in the CH Herald and the CH News respectively this Sunday.

An article by Neil Offen in the CHH ("National pilots group pushes for new airport") leads with: "A national pilots and aircraft owners group plans to meet with UNC system President Erskine Bowles early this year to push for the creation of a new airport in Orange County."

Link: http://heraldsun.southernheadlines.com/orange/10-1061492.cfm?

Missing Ms. Clark

It's just starting to sink in that I'll never see Rebecca Clark again. The last I saw her was just before the holidays, and she was as strong and firm and loving as always. I'm glad that's my last memory but regret that I didn't know her better and never followed up on my intention to take her out for lunch to just talk.

I bet that lots of you have Ms. Clark stories and wonder if you would share them...

[Note: Long-time community activist and anchor Rebecca Clark passed away this weekend. (N&O 1/6/09) -Ed.]

Public information and input on future Hillsborough train station

From an Orange County notice:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: Jan. 6, 2009

Contact: Hillsborough Planning Director Margaret Hauth, 732-1270 Ext. 86
or margaret.hauth@hillsboroughnc.org

Hillsborough Senior Planner Tom King, 732-1270 Ext. 73
or tom.king@hillsboroughnc.org

Rail Station Task Force Seeks Input on Suggested Hillsborough Sites

HILLSBOROUGH — The Rail Station Task Force wants the public’s input on suggested rail station sites in Hillsborough and the task force’s criteria for rating the sites.

The task force — appointed in the fall by the Hillsborough Town Board and Orange County Board of Commissioners — will host an open house from 4 to 9 p.m. Jan. 14 at the Big Barn Convention Center. The advisory committee will discuss a number of suggested rail station sites and the rating criteria it will use for formally recommending a site to the two boards.

A presentation will be given at 5:30 p.m. and repeated at 7 p.m. The information also will be available on a drop-in basis.

During the open house, the task force also will seek feedback about the relative desirability of the suggested sites and comments and suggestions about changes to the rating criteria. Participants will be able to give their feedback verbally or in writing.

The advisory task force, which first met in November, was created to define the criteria for selecting a train station site and to recommend a location. It also is charged with investigating the established funding criteria and procedural steps to proceed with development of a station and with describing a schedule of tasks to be accomplished prior to initiation of service.

The task force includes representatives of the Hillsborough Planning Board, the Orange County Unified Transportation Board, the Orange County Transportation Services Board, the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough, the Orange County Economic Development Commission and the Walkable Hillsborough Coalition and three citizens.

An Amtrak and N.C. Department of Transportation analysis, completed in the summer, indicated a rail stop in Hillsborough could be financially viable, with an estimated net gain of about $56,000. Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens had formally requested the study on the possibility of a rail stop on behalf of a number of citizens.

Based on costs at that time, construction was estimated at about $1 million for a platform with lighting and a canopy and $5 million to $6 million for a station building.

The task force is expected to report on the site selection Feb. 19 at the joint meeting of the Hillsborough Town Board and Orange County Commissioners. Its work is expected to be completed by the end of May. Further opportunities for comment will be made available as the selection narrows.

The Big Barn is located at 388 Ja Max Drive. Minimal refreshments will be available.

###

Date:

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - 11:00am to 4:00pm

Location:

The Big Barn, 388 Ja Max Drive, Hillsborough

Planning & Transportation

Play: The life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

From Orange County:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Ginger Holler, Youth Services Librarian / Orange County Public Library, 245-2531

“The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” Presented by Bright Star Children's Theater, at the Orange County Public Library , 300 West Tryon Street in Hillsborough.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

4:00-5:00pm

The life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will be celebrated in this production, starting with the Civil Rights movement and exploring the life and work of Dr. King. The youngest person ever to win a Nobel Prize for Peace, Dr. King changed the course of history through his work for justice, and equal rights in America.

A special after school program- FREE- no registration required, all ages welcome. Groups Welcome.

Date:

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 - 11:00am

Location:

Orange County Public Library, 300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough

Media

Carborro's Really, Really Free Market

Listen to the first documentary on Carrboro's Really, Really Free Market on WCOM

playing RIGHT NOW on WCOM 103.5 LP FM. It will air one more time before 6:30pm on The West End Report

OR you can click here to listen to the live stream

Citizens to Bowles: "Give us the same access to airport meetings that the special interests get."

The Airport Action Group sent the following letter to UNC President Erskine Bowles.

The citizens of Orange County have been totally left out of the airport process while UNC and their legislative allies have been colluding with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and other special business interests.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

January 9, 2009

Dear President Bowles,

UNC backing off airport plans?

As reported in the N & O one hour ago:

The university may halt its plans to build an airport in Orange County.
Chancellor Holden Thorp plans a press conference at 11 a.m. this morning to announce a "change" in the plans for an airport authority in Orange County. Thorp had announced in September that UNC would convene the authority early this year.
Orange County Commissioner Mike Nelson said the university would not be pursuing an airport in the county.
"They are not going to establish an airport authority at this time," Nelson said. "They're going to back off and focus on other priorities."
- N&O: UNC airport may not get off the ground, 1/9/09

If this is true, I will be very pleased and will also be very very impressed with Chancellor Thorp. It's easy to SAY the things we like to hear, but harder to really do the right thing, especially with the UNC/BOT/legislative/AOPA machine pushing against you.

We'll know more soon...

Bridging the Achievement Gap

I am not sure how many folks have read Macolm Gladwell's book, Outliers, but it has a very interesting take on the gap in success between poor kids (often, but not alway minority) and middle class ones.

Because I live in Chapel Hill and work in Hillsborough, I have the opportunity to interact with school officials and parents from both county systems - Chapel Hill-Carrboro and Orange. One thing that is clear is that there are excellent students, teachers and administrators in each system. As a parent with a Middle Schooler, I am curious about the way we make decisions regarding teaching our kids. As one of the original members of the Parent-Advisory CMTE for the Dual Language Program, I remember discussions about how to implement the program and reach out to an ethnic and economically-diverse population. What struck me was the pre-conceived notions regarding poor people and minorities.

Homestead Park is padlocked

Homestead Park is in the news, especially since the new Aquatic Center opened to the public. However, what people may not know, and it is certainly newsworthy, is that other facilities in Homestead Park are firmly padlocked, and the public do not have access. Namely, the football fields (of which there are two), and the baseball fields (of which there are also two). "It must be maintenance", I hear you say -- but no. There are two of each kind of facility, so while one is padlocked for maintenance, the other could be available. No again -- they are ALL padlocked. I am sure this is not what people had in mind when the funds were approved for this important development. Nowadays it is quite common to see parents hoisting their children over the five-foot fences so they can have a game. When questioned about this, a representative from the Parks Dept responded, "... the fewer people we allow on the turf, the less work we have to do". Our tax dollars at work! Is this what we had in mind?

Community Book Forum: The North Carolina Roots of African American Literature

The Carrboro Cybrary and Carrboro Recreation and Parks invite the community to celebrate Black History Month with a discussion of The North Carolina Roots of African American Literature led by the editor, UNC-Chapel Hill Distinguished Professor of English, William L. Andrews. Copies of the anthology can be borrowed from the Carrboro Cybrary.

"The first African American to publish a book in the South, the author of the first female slave narrative in the United States, the father of black nationalism in America--these and other founders of African American literature have a surprising connection to one another: they all hailed from the state of North Carolina.

This collection of poetry, fiction, autobiography, and essays showcases some of the best work of eight influential African American writers from North Carolina during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In his introduction, William L. Andrews explores the reasons why black North Carolinians made such a disproportionate contribution (in quantity and lasting quality) to African American literature as compared to that of other southern states with larger African American populations. The authors in this anthology parlayed both the advantages and disadvantages of their North Carolina beginnings into sophisticated perspectives on the best and the worst of which humanity, in both the South and the North, was capable. They created an African American literary tradition unrivaled by that of any other state in the South.

Writers included here are Charles W. Chesnutt, Anna Julia Cooper, David Bryant Fulton, George Moses Horton, Harriet Jacobs, Lunsford Lane, Moses Roper, and David Walker." ~ Book Description from UNC Press

"This important anthology shows that North Carolina produced a remarkable, indeed unmatched record of black authorship throughout the nineteenth century. . . . Even if these eight writers were not North Carolinians, a collection of their writings makes for a compelling display of diverse African American literary expression during the first decades after slavery. The fact that these writers were all North Carolinians makes the volume even more impressive, as it points to the fact that they were all shaped by the cultural forces of this particular state during a time of tremendous political and social upheaval." ~ Lucinda H. MacKethan, North Carolina State University

Date:

Friday, February 20, 2009 - 1:30pm to 2:30pm

Location:

Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St.

More Information:

http://www.co.orange.nc.us/library/cybrary

Events

Understanding Gaza: A Teach-In on the Current Crisis

Another time has come to deny our Representative David Price our consent in his unconscionable lopsided support of the state of Israel as Israel continues to inflict a disproportionate use of force ... this time against the Palestinians Nearly 900 Palestinians have now died, including 275 children. Another 4,100 Palestinians have been injured. The Israeli death toll is at thirteen. Last Friday Representative David Price voted in favor of H. Res. 34

1 . Recognizing Israel's right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States strong support for Israel, and supporting the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. (Introduced in House)[H.RES.34.IH]
2 . Whereas Hamas was founded with the stated goal of destroying the State of Israel; (Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by House)[H.RES.34.EH]

Please come out to find out why you should be enraged if you are not already!

***Please forward widely***

WHAT: Understanding Gaza: A Teach-In on the Current Crisis
WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 15, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
WHERE: Nelson Mandela Auditorium, Fed Ex Global Education Center, UNC Chapel Hill

This program will try to make sense of events in Gaza by providing historical, legal and human contexts. Speakers will provide the background behind the news, and bring into focus the faces behind the headlines. Why is this war continuing? And what can we do to bring it to an end?

Speakers include:

* Laila El-Haddad is a freelance journalist from Gaza. Her blog, "Raising Yousuf and Noor: Diary of a Palestinian Mother," explores the complex relationships between the personal and the political as she raises her children while negotiating displacement and occupation. _http://a-mother-from-gaza.blogspot.com/_

* Rann Bar-On is an Israeli activist and graduate student at Duke University. He has worked with the International Solidarity Movement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Rann advocates for an end to the Occupation and resistance to militaristic Israeli government policies. He is especially interested in the Shministim - a group of Israeli high-school students who are imprisoned for daring to refuse to serve in Israel's occupying army.

* Marty Rosenbluth: Formerly Amnesty International USA's Country Specialist for Israel, the Occupied Territories and the Palestinian Authority, he is currently a human rights lawyer working with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice in Durham. Through his work with Amnesty, he documented violations by all parties to the conflict, including participating in Amnesty's fact-finding mission in northern Israel during the war between Israel and Lebanon in the summer of 2006 where he documented Hezbullah attacks on Israeli civilians as well as meeting with Israeli officials to discuss IDF attacks on civilians in Southern Lebanon.

* Dr. Sarah Shields: Associate Professor of Middle Eastern History at UNC-CH, she is the author of /Mosul before Iraq /and teaches courses on the Arab-Israel conflict, Islamic civilization, the Modern Middle East.

Organized by UNC-CH Justice for Gaza and Solidarity with Palestine through Education and Action at Carolina

Co-Sponsors: Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions – USA, Jews for a Just Peace– NC, Progressive Faculty Network of UNC-CH, Muslim American Public Affairs Council, Balance and Accuracy in Journalism, Social and Economic Justice Minor UNC-CH, Coalition for Peace with Justice (CPWJ), WILPF (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom), Mothers 4 Peace, UNC-CH Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)

WHAT: Understanding Gaza: A Teach-In on the Current Crisis
WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 15, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
WHERE: Nelson Mandela Auditorium, Fed Ex Global Education Center, UNC Chapel Hill

Date:

Thursday, January 15, 2009 - 2:00pm

Location:

Nelson Mandela Auditorium, Fed Ex Global Education Center, UNC Chapel Hill

MLK Day March in Hillsborough

From the Town of Hillsborough:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: Jan. 13, 2008

Contact: Sgt. William Parker, Community Policing Division of the Hillsborough Police Department, 732-2441

Downtown Hillsborough Intersections to Be Closed Briefly Jan. 19 for MLK March

HILLSBOROUGH — Traffic will be blocked for short periods of time in downtown Hillsborough on Monday morning, Jan. 19, to allow for the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Commemorative March.

The march will begin at 9 a.m. at the Orange County Courthouse on Margaret Lane and will end at Mt. Bright Baptist Church on Union Street. It is expected to be complete by 10 a.m. Past marches have lasted about 30 minutes.

The Hillsborough Police Department will close the northbound lane of Churton Street during the parade and will conduct rolling blocks of intersections between Margaret Lane and Union Street. As soon as marchers pass through an intersection, officers will reopen the intersection. Traffic will be able to flow south on Churton Street and on side streets.

The Police Department estimates that each intersection will be closed about five minutes.

By closing downtown intersections on a rolling schedule, the department will be able to use fewer officers during the event and to reopen Hillsborough's main thoroughfare more quickly.

A police officer on a motorcycle will lead the marchers, and an officer in a patrol car will follow behind.

The Police Department encourages motorists visiting downtown Hillsborough to use the parking deck and other legal areas to park. A map of public parking options, including free parking, is available on the town's Web site, www.ci.hillsborough.nc.us. Look for the map under "Parking" in the "About Hillsborough" section.

###

Date:

Monday, January 19, 2009 - 4:00am

Location:

Orange County Courthouse on Margaret Lane and will end at Mt. Bright Baptist Church on Union Street, Hillsborough

Orange County Inaugural Celebration

Orange County Inaugural celebration and community gathering featuring live music, slam poetry, MLK tributes, dance party, local restaurant specials. Talent includes renowned fiddler Joe Thompson, hip hop band "The Beast", slam poetry team "Sacrificial Poets," acoustic roots musicians "Mebanesville." More acts and activities confirming daily! Event organized by Orange County Campaign for Change.

Century Center - 5-10 p.m. (Free!)

Southern Rail Dance Party - 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. ($10 cover)

Donation of cans for "Yes We Cans" Project in exchange for access to restaurant discounts and specials.

More information: Craig Perrin - 415-218-7806

Date:

Sunday, January 18, 2009 - 12:00pm

Location:

Century Center (music, activities, tributes), Southern Rail (Dance Party)

Barack Obama

I Accuse! An Open Letter to Congressman David Price

As constituents of the 4th District we have a responsibility to hold our representative to the House of Representatives, Congressman David Price, accountable for his lopsided, and unconscionable support and sanctioning of the state of Israel's current massacre of Gazans in our name. His 'thoughtful comments' are not sufficient to cover for his unthoughtful action as expressed with his vote in favor of HR 34 last Friday. I invite all to join Dr. Sarah Shields in this open letter to David Price.

P.S. For more information, tommorow is Understanding Gaza: A Teach-In on the Current Crises

High-speed Internet must be a part of Carrboro’s infrastructure

(An article I wrote for today's Carrboro Citizen.)

People who live, work and visit Carrboro love the free wireless Internet. But the Town of Carrboro’s wireless is a victim of its own success. I’ve heard from a lot of people who have problems with it and wish it worked in their homes. Fact is, the area the wireless signal covers is too small, the connection is unreliable and the bandwidth is too little. Now is the time for the Town of Carrboro to take the next step. I propose the town support the construction of fiber optic Internet connections to buildings within the downtown business district.

Hillsborough Amtrak Depot locations

View Larger Map

The town of Hillsborough presented seven potential sites for a new rail depot last night.

For more info, check Hillsborough's Development Activity page—they said they'd have info there by Friday January 16, 2009. Meanwhile, I've put a map of the locations with some notes here.

Two of the sites (5-Hampton Pointe & 6-Collins Property) are on the current Triangle Transit route 420. A quick and efficient connection to regional bus service is critical for many traveling to/from Chapel Hill.

Going digital, Time-Warner, and who owns the airwaves

Forewarned that setting up my two non-cabled analog televisions to receive digital signals will be "fiddly" and probably doomed, I've now got the converter instructions spread out in my kitchen, only to learn they presume that I either have a large outdoor antenna or cable service to the room.

If I had cable service to the room, I wouldn't need a converter, would I? (It also says that trying to sync the remote with the TV should be abandoned "after 150 trials" - must have been written by someone with hugely more patience than I have).

All this brings me back to two abiding irritants: the national FCC giveaway to the big media companies and our local thralldom to Time-Warner.

The FCC giveaway probably doesn't qualify as a local issue for OP purposes, although the general loss of media local-ness is pertinent and - to put it mildly - regrettable. Our relation to Time-Warner is definitely local, since - at least in theory - the contract with them was locally considered, approved, and re-approved (?).

Where will you be?

I have been hearing about a lot of inauguration-related activities going on this weekend and through Tuesday. I'd rather not have them clog up the calendar, but I thought it would be helpful to list them all in one place. Here's what I know about so far, please post additional events and let us know how you're observing this landmark event.

Downtown Carrboro Ped/Bike Connections

For years now I've used the informal trails linking my neighborhood around Lloyd Street/Broad Street near downtown Carrboro, Northside, Bolin Creek, and the rest of Carrboro to navigate as a pedestrian and a biker. Every time I cross the ditch on an old railroad tie and then straddle the railroad tracks to get to Harris Teeter or the Pleasant Street neighborhood, I marvel at the fact that the geographic center of Carrboro/Chapel Hill is still so isolated from the surrounding neighborhoods. At night as I see folks wandering through the informal dirt paths that connect Pleasant Street to Lloyd Street, I worry about the safety of the dark trail and wish that there was a way to put some resources into making these vital links for those of us who can't or choose not to drive much more user friendly and safe.

MLK Day March & Rally

Sorry for the late notice, I just found this information that the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP will be having their annual rally before the MLK service at First Baptist Church. (For the record, I have been looking for info about whether there would be a march. I wish there had been more publicity!)

The rally will start at 9 a.m. at the Franklin Street Post Office.
That will be followed with a march down Franklin Street at 10:15 a.m.
The march will end at the First Baptist Church on North Roberson Street at 10:30 a.m. where a worship service will be held.
The theme of the rally is environmental racism.
The group is calling for liberation of the Rogers Road community where the county’s landfill has been housed for more than thirty years.
- 1360 WCHL: Local MLK Day Events Planned Monday

Date:

Monday, January 19, 2009 - 4:00am

Location:

Franklin Street Post Office, Chapel Hill

Environment

Wedding Reception Location Ideas?

So I figure discussion of my wedding plans have already been public here. Between interning for a campaign for an openly gay chapel hill businessman who ran for senate, between my commentaries on wchl, and my discussions of local protests & vigils around the triangle area in response to prop 8. Anyways, I was wondering if anyone knew of a decent, and relatively inexpensive, place for a wedding reception. While I am getting married in Boston (instead of the orignal location San Franiscio where I had originally planned because I have some family out there), I am going to have a wedding reception back at home in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area so all my family and friends that can't afford to fly up to Boston can still take some part.

Talk Radio Take on Obama

Listening to conservative talk radio is painful. The right wing radio hosts should be required to read Surgeon General warning labels because their programs are hazardous to our mental health.

The radio hosts on these programs don't just express their ignorance. They celebrate it.

Unfortunately for me, I am too curious. I often wonder about how they will creatively distort reality to match their audience expectations. This week I listened to Rush Limbaugh and his clone-in-the-Triangle, Bill Lemay of WPTF radio. I can listen for only a few minutes at a time (see Surgeon General warning). Therefore, the following is just a sampling of comments about Obama and his inauguration from the right wing radio perspective:

- True conservatives should hope that Obama fails.
- Obama's goal is to implement a "socialist agenda."

Is UNC's coal power plant contributing to global warming?

Over on the Carrboro bike/ped thread I inadvertently hijacked it by bringing up a topic that was loosely related. (Sorry Rickie!) So lets move it over here.

To prevent global disaster we need to look in own our backyards for change. One good way to do this is by examining how we use and generate electricity. Should the University of North Carolina continue to generate electricity by burning coal? Is a "cleaner" solution to electricity generation doing enough? Can we really have a Al Gore hater running a power plant in Chapel Hill? (That last one was a joke folks. Ok I thought it was funny. Sheesh.)

Sadly global climate change is no joke.

Orange County and the "Secure Communities" Program

Hi OP. I'm a long-time lurker, first-time poster.

I attended the OC county commissioner's meeting last night and heard Sheriff Lindy Pendergrass defend the county's participation in the federal "secure communities" program, which provides access to the fingerprint databases of the Dept. of Homeland Security and the FBI. Here's what I took away from the meeting, along with info gleaned from local papers. (If I am mistaken, please jump in to clarify. This is not a subject about which I am particularly knowledgeable).

Human Relations Month Kick-off Event

According to WCHL:

Orange County is preparing to kick off Human Relations Month.
James Spivey, a civil rights specialist for the office of Human Relations in Orange County, said the theme this year will be “Power to the People: Race and the Environment in Orange County.”
Human Relations Month promotes strong community ties. The kickoff celebration will include a performance by the East Baile Latino Group.
The keynote speaker will be Mr. Omega R. Wilson, president of the West End Revitalization Association.
The kickoff is from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Carrboro Century Center, located at 100 North Greensboro St. Everyone is welcomed to attend the event at no charge.

Date:

Sunday, January 25, 2009 - 10:00am to 12:00pm

Location:

Century Hall, Carrboro Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro St.

More Information:

http://www.wchl1360.com/details.html?id=9215

Civil Liberties

human relations

Homestead Aquatic Center Opening

From Chapel Hill eNews:

The public is invited to a big splash from 11 a.m. to noon Friday, Feb. 13, when the Homestead Aquatic Center will be dedicated and formerly opened to the community. The grand opening celebration will feature an official dedication ceremony, complete with a ribbon cutting, a dedication plaque and a grand cake. The Town of Chapel Hill's Parks and Recreation Department is coordinating the activities.

The $6.5 million state-of-the-art facility funded jointly by Chapel Hill and Orange County will enhance the community's quality of life for years to come, and everyone is encouraged to share in the celebration. Dedication ceremonies commence at 11 a.m. with a ribbon cutting and unveiling of the dedication plaque. The celebration will be attended by Mayor Kevin Foy and members of the Chapel Hill Town Council, Orange County Board Commissioner Barry Jacobs and other members of the Orange County Board of Commissioners, Town Manager Roger L. Stancil, County Manager Laura Blackmon, and others. Free swim passes to the new Aquatic Center will be offered. The event will be held rain or shine.

The center is situated in the northwest corner of the 40-acre Homestead Park at 300 Northern Park Drive off Homestead Drive in Chapel Hill. There are two pools, a larger "lap pool" for swimming team practices and lap swimmers, and a warm-water teaching "recreation pool" for families and non-competitive swimmers. The larger pool measures 25 yards by 25 meters with a depth ranging from 4 to 9 feet. The smaller pool has a zero-depth entry ramp and measures 25 yards by 10 yards with a depth of up to 6 feet.

Date:

Friday, February 13, 2009 - 6:00am to 7:00am

Location:

300 Northern Park Drive, Chapel Hill

More Information:

http://townhall.townofchapelhill.org/parks_&_rec/aquatics/

Obama's Reach

Some of you may know Brad. If not, you may know someone like him. He used to be an attorney in Pittsboro and an active soccer dad in our community. He is now serving a fifteen year prison sentence in Florida at the Apatachee Correctional Institution. He has been there for about a year. He was arrested in Pittsboro as part of a “sting operation” conducted by the Florida State Police. Brad pleaded guilty to a series of internet-related sex offenses.

My family knew Brad for several years prior to his arrest and we were shocked when we learned about what he had done. Brad and I have exchanged letters quite a few times since his incarceration.

I got a touching letter from Brad this week. He wrote it on the morning of Inauguration Day. He described his hope that he and his fellow inmates would be allowed to watch the inauguration on television. He was optimistic because they had been allowed to watch television on election night. He wrote, "On election night it was nice to see a number of the older inmates – black and white - teary eyed and quiet when Obama was declared the victor. I was teary eyed, too."

Orange County Property Taxes

I have heard a rumor that Orange County is set to significantly raise property taxes. Can anyone comment on this?

11th Annual Orange County Agricultural Summit

From the County:

The 11th Annual Orange County Agricultural Summit will be held on Monday, February 9, 2009 starting at 8:30 a.m. until lunch. The summit will be held at the old Orange Enterprise building, 500 Valley Forge Road in Hillsborough.
This year the featured speaker will be Steve Troxler, the Commissioner of Agriculture for the State of North Carolina. In addition, topics of discussion will include, youth in agriculture, farm diversification, government programs that assist farmers in energy conservation and how to enhance farm income with hunting leases.

Lunch will be served using locally grown agricultural products as part of the $5 registration fee. Seating is limited, please respond no later than February 5, 2009.

To register and for additional information contact the North Carolina Cooperative Extension - Orange County Center at (919) 245-2050.

Date:

Monday, February 9, 2009 - 3:30am

Location:

Orange Enterprise building, 500 Valley Forge Road, Hillsborough

Environment

Carolina North Public Information Session

It seems that hardly a week goes by without another Carolina North meeting, and yet I am increasingly confused about what is going on. I guess I need to actually GO to one of these meetings, especially given the front-loaded nature of the latest arrangement between the Town and the University.

Via e-mail from the Town of Chapel Hill...

Please share this information

CAROLINA NORTH

Public Information Session January 29
Chapel Hill Development Proposal

7 p.m. Thursday, January 29 * Chapel Hill Town Hall * 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

A Public Input/Information Session on Carolina North will be held in the Chapel Hill Town Council Chambers at 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. At the session, a Town representative will explain the review process for the University proposal to develop an academic, mixed-use campus. Upon request, with 2 days notice, the Communications and Public Affairs Department (968-2743) will provide an interpreter for the hearing impaired or any other needed type of auxiliary aid.

Carolina North is expected to be contained within about 250 acres of the Horace Williams Tract’s 1,000 acres and be built in phases over the next 50 years, as proposed. The property lies just to the north of Estes Drive adjacent to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The January 29 session will focus on providing information and soliciting comment about the regulatory tool that has been endorsed by the Town Council and University representatives as the preferred tool for guiding development at Carolina North: establishment of a Development Agreement with a base zoning district. The session is intended to provide information about issues being addressed by policy-makers and by Town/University staffs.

For more information, contact the Town of Chapel Hill Planning Department at (919) 968-2728 or

carolinanorth@townofchapelhill.org. Additional material is posted online at www.townofchapelhill.org/carolinanorth.

Date:

Thursday, January 29, 2009 - 2:00pm

Location:

Chapel Hill Town Hall

More Information:

http://www.townofchapelhill.org/carolinanorth

Government

Roland Giduz remembered

Former Chapel Hill journalist and elected official Roland Giduz died this weekend at age 83. He lived much of Chapel Hill's history for the past half-century, including playing a part in the battle over integration. In the 1964 he supported white business owners who wanted to keep things separate, and in 1969 he ran against Howard Lee for Mayor. But in 2008, he said he was "appalled" to have supported segregation.

Where are our local papers going?

The state of the local media is a subject of much concern here on OP, and there have been some very interesting shifts in recent weeks. The most exciting change is the announcement by the Carrboro Citizen that they will be expanding to cover Chapel Hill and increasing circulation by 20%. (See this OP post by CC editor Kirk Ross last fall soliciting our feedback on the expansion.) They have hired Margot Carmichael Lester who is an experienced reporter and a local native. It is really gratifying to see this locally-owned paper succeed. I think it's good for the entire community.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Kentucky-based Paxton Media Group, which bought the Herald-Sun several years ago, is continuing the downward spiral of that paper. Recently, they yanked Chapel Hill Herald editor Neil Offen and swapped him out with Durham metro editor Dan Way.

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