As reported by Kirk Ross of the Carrboro Citizen on OP and on the CC site, Chapel Hill Town Councilmember Bill Strom has announced that he will be resigning as of August 1, and will be leaving the area.

The interesting political implication is that I think the Council will now be expected to appoint a replacement since this resignation did not happen within the 40-day window before an election candidate filing period which would have led to an automatic appointment of the 5th vote-getter.

Despite serious misgivings among some local officials, OWASA is moving forward on discussions with the City of Durham, Chatham County, Orange County, and other neighboring jurisdictions to secure future access to Jordan Lake water.

There is a lot of pressure from Chatham County because they over-built beyond their capacity to provide water during the high growth heyday of the Bunky Morgan era.  OWASA is a valuable ally to these other jurisdictions because it owns a prime piece of land on the west shore of Jordan Lake that is ideal for a water intake.

Hey all! Thanks for doing such a great job of keeping the conversation going while I am jugging a new job and my newly expanded family!  With the municpal and city school board elections coming up, I want to make sure OP continues to be a key source of information for voters. In the past, our election section has carried nonpartisan candidate information, links to media guides, and listing of events.  On the new OP we can do much more.

The Orange County Democratic Party has redesigned its web site and launched it today.  While the content is still a little sparce, it will ultimately be driven by our precincts, who will each have their own page, blog and calendar.  It is Drupal based, and much more flexible than our earlier page.  Much of the heavy lifting was done by Dave Tillery, and Jason Baker, our 3rd vice chair, will serve as webmaster.

Drop by the Century Center tonight on the 2ndFriday Art Walk for an exhibit of new oil paintings by wonderfully talented artist Steve Silverleaf.

So you're on 15-501 going towards Durham.  You pass the Estes Dr / Univ Mall turnoff.  And you pass the one (Elliot Rd?) with the Burger King right was after you turn and with a little shopping center on the right.  (BTW, whatever happened to that big chunk of land that was going to have an expanded movie theater but the movie company and CH butted heads?  That thing has been a big empty patch for a decade or so.)  And you go to the next one...Eastgate on the left, Holiday Inn on the right.  That intersection is crazy.

Does anyone know anything about this new group reported in Orange Chat, Citizens for Responsible Government.  They appear to be a political action committee of some sort that intends on influencing the upcoming election. 

 The website says that their mission is to, "support candidates and policies that promote the responsiveness, efficiency and fiscal health of our local governments." 

From the Orange County Board of Elections :

2009 Municipal and

Chapel Hill/Carrboro School Board

Election Schedule and

Candidate Filing Information

 

Election Day is November 3rd

In observance of Independence Day, the Board of Elections office will be closed

Friday, July 3rd.

 

I'm thinking of staying in Chapel Hill for the fireworks instead of hitting up the State Fairgrounds (my usual romping grounds on the 4th ever since undergrad at State). How do they compare? Who has been to the firework display in Chapel Hill, is it very good? Are there any good spots in town where you can park & watch w/o going to the main event as you can with the State Fairgrounds firework display? Will WCHL be covering the event live? Any other fun ideas for the 4th in Chapel Hill/Carrboro? What are you doing for the 4th?

I found this News Release on the Town of Chapel Hill's shiney new website:

http://www.ci.chapel-hill.nc.us/index.aspx?page=22&recordid=385&returnUR...

 "News Review

I have been following up on my previous blog regarding small farm development in Orange County.  A key to any successful entireprise is being covered by the NC Bona Fide Farm statute.   I find the statute wording to be confusing, but a key provision is that 10 acres of land needs to be comprised of land in production or contiguous woodlands or wetlands.  Based on this rule, the minimum practical size for a Bona Fide farm in NC is approximately 11 acres, 10 to meet the rule in the statue and at leasts an acre for buildings and roads.