March 2010

Daniel Pollitt rests at last

Dan Pollitt was a dedicated activist and leader in our community for decades. He passed away this morning after a lifetime dedicated to peace and justice. My heart goes out to his wife Senator Ellie Kinnaird and the rest of his family. But the loss is all of ours. Pollitt was a beacon, lighting the way forward from just a little ahead of the rest of us.

Here's the Independent's profile of him from 10 years ago:

Chapel Hill attorney Bill Massengill nails it: "He's the aggressive-liberal gentleman. Dan can aggressively press his ideas without offending people." Even when those ideas are quite hopelessly out of fashion--as they so very often are.

Take, for example, Pollitt's defense of free association amid Red Scare panic. Or integration in the Jim Crow South. It took the times some time to catch up with Pollitt on those two.

Or what about advocating labor unions in a "right-to-work" state? How very un-20th century. And Pollitt's predilection for the abolishment of state-sanctioned executions? Next season, maybe, or perhaps the one after that.

[...]

Coffee Party - The Lefts Answer to the Tea Party

 http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/

http://www.facebook.com/coffeeparty

MISSION: The Coffee Party Movement gives voice to Americans who want to see cooperation in government. We recognize that the federal government is not the enemy of the people, but the expression of our collective will, and that we must participate in the democratic process in order to address the challenges that we face as Americans. As voters and grassroots volunteers, we will support leaders who work toward positive solutions, and hold accountable those who obstruct them.

An introduction (length of video 4:34):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO_5HvnFEv0&feature=player_embedded

Coffee Party organizational meeting

***Mar 13 2010 12:00 PM***
Coffee Party USA/Chapel Hill Join us to help launch the Coffee Party Movement. We will be meeting at That Coffee Place, corner ...
We will be meeting at That Coffee Place, corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard at Homestead. (919) 960-6247 2805 Homestead Rd Chapel Hill, NC 27516 Contact me at 1 919 741 5113 Let's get moving! Lloyd

Date: 

Saturday, March 13, 2010 - 7:00am

Location: 

That Coffee Place, 805 Homestead Rd, Chapel Hill

Transition Carrboro -Chapel Hill ~ "Power Down" Video and Discussion TONIGHT!

This Wednesday, March 10, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Flyleaf Books, Transition Carrboro-Chapel Hill will present two episodes of The Powerdown Show, which examines local responses to peak oil and climate change.

Teen Health Now Event: Online Organizing and Advocacy Training for Youth!

Teen Health Now is a group of young people across the state of North Carolina working towards eliminating federally abstinence-only programs in NC, adopting a comprehensive sex education policy in the state's health curricula, and changing local policy to support comprehensive sex education in communities. We also work t o raise awareness for many other teen reproductive health issues. Part of our goal for this year is to train and mobilize other young people across the state.  We are doing this by hosting free trainings and events for young people! This spring Shelby Knox is coming to Chapel Hill, NC, to speak at a community forum about sex education.  We are also hosting a free, day long training on the topic of online organizing and advocacy at UNC Chapel Hill. This training is on Saturday, March 27 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.   Any youth can attend (you can RSVP to the Facebook event here).

Speak Out Against Paving Bolin Creek! Monday 3/15 - 6:30 p.m.

Speak Out Against Paving Bolin Creek!

On Monday, March 15th at 6:30 p.m. in room 110 of the Carrboro Town Hall the Carrboro Greenways Commission is meeting to decide if they are going to accept the Greenways, Inc. proposal for paving the Bolin Creek Greenway. Please come and show that you do not agree with their plan!

There is a good opinion piece here
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/2010/03/14/55677/reject-greenway-consultan...

But I also want to point out that "Greenways for Wildlife" at NC State found that

# Percent coverage of managed area within the greenway, such as trail and other mowed or maintained surfaces, was a predictor for all but total bird abundance. Abundance and richness of development-sensitive species (neotropical migrant, insectivore, and forest-interior birds) were lowest in greenways containing more managed area.

Enjoy the silence

As some of you may have noticed I am out of town for a 9-day trip to Austin, TX where I am visiting family and attending South by Southwest Interactive. I am still checking in here periodically, but don't have time for new posts.  That means it's a great time to write that blog entry you've been thinking about, you don't have to compete with many other posts to get on the front page!

Soon after I get back, we should start seeing some of the work of the five students in a UNC class on Public Affairs Reporting for New Media, who will be focusing on the upcoming Primary election in Orange County.

Meanwhile, we haven't had an open thread in a while, so... how the hell are y'all?

The Carrboro Greenway Commison wants a greenway!

That may seem like an obvious statement but what it means in reality is that a few of the members of the Carrboro Greenway Commision think that the goal of the commission is to implement a greenway regardless of whether or not it will harm the environment.

Let's Protest UNC's Bingham Facility!

If anyone wants to join in helping me form a protest at UNC's Bingham Facility or on UNC's campus (probably better) reply to this posting!

 

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/orangechat/state-cites-2nd-violation-at-uncs-bingham-facility

State regulators have hit UNC with another violation notice for a treated wastewater spill at its animal holding and research facility in rural Orange County.

The  March 3 notice comes after broken pipes spilled  1,800 gallons of treated wastewater onto the ground of the Bingham Facility in late February.

 

And more:

 http://blogs.newsobserver.com/orangechat/state-may-require-uncs-bingham-facility-to-get-a-permit

 http://www.preserveruralorange.org/UNC_Research_Facility.html

http://fpcfeed.facilities.unc.edu/ConstructionProjectDetails.aspx?projectId=104

 

Sierra Club Forum for County Commissioner Candidates

Listen to candidates for Orange County Commissioner. See where they stand on environmental issues!

When: Wednesday, March 24, 7 p.m.
Where: Council Chambers, Chapel Hill Town Hall (directions at http://www.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us/index.aspx?page=47)

Date: 

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 - 3:00pm to 5:00pm

Location: 

Chapel Hill Town Hall

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