April 2008

Forum: Issues Facing North Carolina in the Coming Decade

Join us for a lively discussion about the future of North Carolina! Among our panelists are Orange County Commissioner Moses Carey and Orange native Hampton Dellinger. Come ask our panel a question about what you feel are the most pressing issues facing your town, Orange County, or the state.

Issues Facing North Carolina in the Coming Decade will explore the most pressing issues facing our State in the near future. Students, faculty, and community members will participate in a dialogue with a panel of experts on issues ranging from immigration, to the environment, civil rights, education, healthcare, poverty, and the economy. The panel includes:

  • Jennifer Rudinger, Executive Director for the NC ACLU
  • Irene Godinez, Advocacy Director for El Pueblo, Inc
  • Hampton Dellinger, candidate for NC Lt. Governor and former NC Assistant Attorney General
  • Margaret Hartzell from Environment NC
  • Moses Carey, candidate for NC Senate and current Orange County Commissioner

Sponsored by Campus-Y’s Table Talk, in partnership with Advocates for Human Rights, Black Student Movement, Carolina Hispanic Association, Health Focus, Hunger and Homelessness Outreach Project, Panhellenic Council, The Roosevelt Institute, Student Action with Workers, Young Democrats, and Youth for Elderly Service.

Free parking available in Cobb deck after 5pm.

Date: 

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 - 3:00pm to 4:30pm

Location: 

UNC Campus, Manning Hall, room 209

Voter-owned elections for Chapel Hill

The Town of Chapel Hill is proposing a system to provide public financing to candidates that can demonstrate a base level of community support. This can be a great way to help candidates focus more on talking to voters and less time on raising money.

The Council discussed this at their meeting tonight. Did anyone else watch this? If so, can you explain Kevin Wolff's comments, because I didn't find him especially coherent. He kept calling himself "viable" and claimed that incumbents running for re-election was hypocritical.

Chapel Hill is the first municipality in North Carolina to receive legislative authorization to provide a locally funded public campaign financing program. Session Law 2007-222 provides the following key requirements.

Why should I register on OP?

All that's required to register on OrangePolitics is an e-mail address, although we also request that you share some additional information about yourself. Click here to register (or login) now.

There are many benefits to signing up. The two main ones are:

  • Post comments without moderation. (All anonymous comments are held for moderation and are displayed in gray text.)
  • Create your own blog entries and add calendar events.
But wait, there's more...

How do I recover my old OP account?

If you were registered on OP before we changed platforms in 2008, you already have an account here. Click here to access it, or read on for detailed directions.

What's Happening with Regional Transit?

The Special Transit Advisory Commission (STAC), appointed by the two Metropolitan Planning organizations (Capitol Area MPO and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO) is close to finishing up its work after nearly a year and 15 meetings to date. This has been a longer process than I think most initially envisioned (it was originally scheduled to be completed by October 2007) due to the amount and complexity of data that had to be reviewed, the different backgrounds of the 29 official members, and the thoroughness of the discussions that ensued.

The STAC members hope to approve a final draft of their report at their meeting on April 25th. The most recent (2nd) draft of this report can be obtained at http://www.transitblueprint.org/stac.shtml

The importance of educating ourselves BEFORE we vote...

With the Orange County School Board (OCSB) elections looming (among others), and the frustration of the last year lingering with many parents and concerned citizens, we have a real chance to make a change.

What say you – we always have that opportunity?

Yes, of course you are right – the right to vote is fundamental in our society. And a right we should willingly act upon at every chance.

So – I have a confession to make...

There is an extremely high likelihood that I voted for a much maligned outgoing member of the School Board four years ago. For those of you who have not attended OCSB meetings this past year, let me just say that this woman and I have VERY different viewpoints on the process of educating our children.

Sierra Club Endorsements Announced

Upon recommendation of the Orange-Chatham Group's Political and Executive Committees, the North Carolina Chapter of the Sierra Club has endorsed the following candidates for elected office here in Orange County. The Sierra Club supports candidates with demonstrated knowledge of local environmental issues who will provide strong leadership on matters including growth and conservation.

Orange County Commissioner:

  • At-Large: Bernadette Pelissier
  • District 1: Valerie Foushee & Pam Hemminger

General Assembly:

  • NC Senate 23: Ellie Kinnaird
  • NC House 54: Joe Hackney
  • NC House 56: Verla Insko

LOST DOG FOUND ON DAMASCUS CHURCH RD

On my way home from work on Damascus Church rd, a rather large black lab-looking dog was chasing two little girls. The girls said that he wasn't their dog, and another lady said he came from the woods around the church.

I put him (I assume it is a him) in my car and took him over to the animal shelter. He had no microchip, no tags, but he did have a collar. He was a bit smelly, so I do not know if he has been lost for a while.

He was extremely sweet, friendly, and obedient. I hated to turn him into the shelter, but it was 6pm on Tuesday, and I couldn't take him home with me.

The shelter is closed on Wednesdays, but you can call Falconbridge Animal Hospital (on 54-919-403-5591)and ask them to contact Dr. Sheppard who works at the Orange County Animal Shelter on MLK BLVD.

If someone can take him to foster him or adopt him, PLEASE contact the shelter and ask for Tom or Melanie. He will probably be put down in about a month if he is not claimed or adopted.

Again, he is rather large, very friendly, looked like a black lab with a bit of white scruff under his chin.

Endorsements, please!

We have a big primary in North Carolina this year. I'm overseas and will be voting as soon as I get that ballot in hand. So, please share your endorsements here! Especially for the local and state offices; I'm already pretty clear on the presidential primary.

Editor's note: Joan wrote this a month ago, when many of us hadn't made up our minds. I think now people will have more to say. Consider this an official special rules thread. That is: You may only mention candidates that you are endorsing, please do not discuss people you don't support or why you don't support them. Comments that don't follow these guidelines will be removed. Thanks. =Ruby

Change Rocks concert for Barack Obama

It doesn't say clearly whether he'll be there in person. If he is, the turnout will be way more than 4,000. Maybe I'll the day off work on May 2nd...

The Carrboro Board of Aldermen approved a request from the local Barack Obama campaign staff to use the Town Commons at 301 W. Main St. for a rally and to encourage early, one-stop voter registration during the afternoon of May 2.

The Obama campaign plans to have several local bands play at the rally. It expects about 4,000 people, but Capt. Joel Booker of the Carrboro Police Department said the rally could easily become larger than that.

- N & O: Obama rally set for Town Commons

Seriously, good idea to do it right next the early voting site at Town Hall.

Date: 

Friday, May 2, 2008 - 10:00am to 1:00pm

Location: 

Carrboro Town Commons

Pages

 

Community Guidelines

By using this site, you agree to our community guidelines. Inappropriate or disruptive behavior will result in moderation or eviction.

 

Content license

By contributing to OrangePolitics, you agree to license your contributions under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 United States License.

Creative Commons License

 
Zircon - This is a contributing Drupal Theme
Design by WeebPal.